Mulanje Rising: The Mountain of Opportunity.”
“UTM will restore Mulanje’s forests, revitalize its farmlands, and turn the district into a tourism and agro-industrial powerhouse.”
— Dr. Dalitso Kabambe, UTM Presidential Candidate 2025
Mulanje, home to Malawi’s highest peak and the endangered Mulanje Cedar, is a district of scenic grandeur and untapped wealth. Its fertile soils support tea, coffee, and macadamia plantations, yet most smallholder farmers remain poor. Its tourism potential remains dormant despite iconic landscapes like the Mulanje Massif and the Porters Race Trail.
Yet Mulanje is also a district deeply scarred—by deforestation, youth unemployment, and degraded public infrastructure. UTM envisions a bold turnaround: from resource depletion to renewal, from poverty to production. By investing in smart tourism, reforestation, climate-resilient farming, and youth-led enterprises, we will elevate Mulanje as a beacon of green growth in Malawi.
Context & Challenges:
Mulanje has strong agronomic zones, but most farmers lack access to irrigation, input capital, and markets. The tea sector is dominated by large estates with minimal value shared with locals.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 130 Billion
Jobs Created: 8,000
Output: 300,000 MT/year
Impact: Export-ready agro-products, farmer incomes quadrupled, rural food security
Context & Challenges:
Traditional cattle and goat herding dominate, but low productivity, disease, and limited veterinary services hinder commercialization.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 45 Billion
Jobs Created: 5,000
Output: Milk, meat, hides, and poultry
Impact: Protein access, new livestock SMEs, rural jobs
Context & Challenges:
Mulanje Mountain is an under-promoted tourism treasure. It lacks sufficient accommodation, trails, and promotional branding to capture local and international visitors.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 60 Billion
Jobs Created: 6,000
Visitor Target: 120,000/year
Revenue Potential: MWK 25 Billion/year
Impact: Tourism-led income, environmental pride, youth jobs
Context & Challenges:
Poor roads isolate farms and communities. Mountain terrain limits vehicle access, and telecoms coverage is patchy.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 90 Billion
Jobs Created: 4,000
Impact: Reliable transport, market integration, e-services in remote areas
Context & Challenges:
Mulanje’s trading centers face housing pressure, sanitation gaps, and informal settlements without planning.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 40 Billion
Jobs Created: 2,500
Impact: Urban dignity, local economic clustering, inclusive growth
Context & Challenges:
Mulanje District Hospital is overstretched. Youth lack training options tied to local economic sectors.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 30 Billion
Jobs Created: 2,000
Impact: Skilled youth pipeline, improved maternal health, tech-driven care
Context & Challenges:
Mulanje has known deposits of stone, sand, and rare minerals, but extraction is informal and environmentally damaging.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 25 Billion
Jobs Created: 1,800
Impact: Local materials, youth industrial jobs, safer practices
Context & Challenges:
Illegal logging, especially of the Mulanje Cedar, has devastated biodiversity. Climate shocks reduce yields and water access.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 20 Billion
Jobs Created: 1,200
Impact: Forest recovery, green jobs, eco-systems preserved for future generations
Administered by: Mulanje District Development Agency (MDDA)
Annual Allocation: MK100 Billion
Strategic Priorities:
Projected Outcomes by 2030:
| Sector | Investment (MWK) | Jobs Created | Key Output/Impact |
| Mega Farms & Agro-Industry | 130 Billion | 8,000 | 300,000 MT produce/year |
| Livestock | 45 Billion | 5,000 | Meat, milk, hides, poultry |
| Tourism & Culture | 60 Billion | 6,000 | 120,000 visitors/year, MWK 25B revenue |
| Infrastructure | 90 Billion | 4,000 | Road, digital, and energy connectivity |
| Smart Housing | 40 Billion | 2,500 | 2,500 eco-homes, Smart Bomas |
| Health & Skills | 30 Billion | 2,000 | Hospital and training institute upgrades |
| Mining & Quarry | 25 Billion | 1,800 | Safer mining, youth employment |
| Environment & Irrigation | 20 Billion | 1,200 | Reforestation, cedar restoration, irrigation |
