Cdedi accuses Chakwera of  ‘playing  hypocrite’ on transparency and accountability

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has accused President Lazarus Chakwera of playing hypocrites for failing to come out clear on how it spends government money on public events.

CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa, in a statement issued on Thursday, cites failure by Chakwera to disclose how much the government spent on the aborted July 6, 2020, Independence Celebrations and the expenses he and his entourage incurred on their recent foreign trips to Zambia, Zimbambwe, Tanzania and Mozambique.

During these trips, the President used a chartered plane, and was accompanied by a contingent of government officials as well as some civilians.

Namiwa emphasizes that disclosure of such information is critical in ensuring transparency and accountability, which the Tonse Alliance leadership promised during the campaign.

“The President should know that as long as he is occupying the State House, CDEDI and indeed all Malawians that mean well for this country will never get tired in demanding transparency and accountability from his Tonse Alliance government, on top of constant reminders to fulfill all his campaign promises made prior to the June 23, 2020 court sanctioned Fresh Presidential Elections. CDEDI, however, has noted with concern that President Chakwera is not coming out in the open to explain to Malawians on issues that are bordering on financial matters. Malawians may recall that the Tonse Alliance partners promised during their campaign trail that they would be transparent and accountable to Malawians on all financial matters, since they would be dealing with taxpayers’ money. CDEDI has evidence of video clips containing such campaign promises, including a consolidated Tonse Alliance manifesto,” reads the statement in part.

“Malawians may recall that the Tonse Alliance spoke so passionately against using chartered planes and getting on board the whole village of escorts on foreign trips, arguing that such tendencies left taxpayers bleeding. On the contrary, we have seen President Chakwera doing exactly what he spoke against,” reads the statement

The organisations believes that Chakwera is being hypocritical and is challenging him to update the nation on how different his administration is from the previous regime, in as far as issues of prudent use of public resources is concerned.