Zambian-based trainer and counsellor Emmanuel Mukula has issued a warning to men in Malawi, urging them to stop treating every woman’s financial challenges as their own personal responsibility. According to Malawi 24, Mukula states that many men are currently in a weaker financial position than they could be because they lack discipline in how they allocate funds to their partners. He notes that some men have effectively turned their salaries into emergency funds for others, covering household costs and settling obligations even when their own financial stability is deteriorating.
Mukula argues that the root cause of this struggle is often not a low income, but rather the assumption of financial burdens that do not inherently belong to the man. He describes a scenario where men pay rent, buy groceries, and settle debts for others while their own lives stagnate. In an excerpt from the report, he states, "You worked for it," emphasizing that men should not feel compelled to justify their financial position every time a partner requests funds. He suggests that men need to protect their earnings and prioritize their own ambitions rather than feeling pressured to meet every demand.
The counsellor further challenges the notion that masculinity is defined by the volume of money spent. He contends that genuine affection should not rely on a man’s ability to finance a partner’s lifestyle at the expense of his own security. Many men, he observes, are left without savings, investments, or property because they spend beyond their means to prove their worth. He urges men to view money as a tool for investing in businesses, housing, or education, rather than a currency for impressing others.
Mukula advises men to differentiate between assisting a partner and being financially drained. He warns that outspending one’s income can have lasting consequences, noting that the years spent neglecting one’s financial future are not easily recovered. His comments arrive at a time when financial stress is driving many to make difficult choices, though he notes that monetary strain should not justify all relational dynamics.
