Malawi

The recent reshuffling of the Malawi Cabinet which included, dismissal of the Secretary-General of the Malawi Congress Party, Mr Bakili Muluzu, is of interest and concern to South Africans. That country, under the Presidency of Dr H Kamuzu Banda, remains Pretoria's only link with Black Africa. Persistent press speculation, at the time of the Cabinet changes, referred to the President's age and the general problems which might ensue in the event of his not being able-to continue in office. Both press reporting and scholarship in the social science in Malawi is restricted, with the result that public policy issues, including the question of succession, are seldom, if ever,debated. This Brief Report draws on available sources of information and is a frank assessment of the present situation in Malawi. The report is divided into the following sections; 1 Statistics and Background Information; 2 Some Aspects of Post-Independent Malawi; 3 Recent Economic Developments and, 4 Malawi, South Africa and the Future.