Chakwera attends funeral ceremony where mourners disregard Covid-19 measures

August 12, 2020 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 56 Comments

President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday  attended  a funeral ceremony for a long time Malawi Congress Party (MCP) staunch supporter in Blantyre where mourners and other people are not observing Covid-19 preventive measures.

There was no strict Covid-19 measures such as reducing the number of those attending the funeral ceremony to 50 
No social distancing is viewing Mai Dinala’s body during the funeral service.
Mai Roseby Dinala, a staunch MCP supporter,

Chakwera himself and other government and party officials are wearing face masks but the majority of the people at the late Roseby Dinala’s funeral ceremony had no masks, were not observing social distance and there were more than 50 people at the funeral.

Government announced the tough Covid-19 preventive measures last Saturday as the infection is spiking rapidly.

At St. Columba CCAP Church, there was strict observation of social distance and the number of people allowed inside the church hall.

Dinala has died at 82 having served the MCP for 57 years.

There was no immediate comment from the government on the matter but some churches have vowed to disregard the 10 people per Sunday service policy which the government has put in place.

A group of pastors calling itself Pastors Taskforce on Covid-19 has vowed to defy government restrictions against gatherings of more than 10 people.

“Let the government hear this. It’s either you listen to our pleas to gather in large crowds like we do or we will defy the orders and fill the Churches this Sunday,” he warned.

The pastors say they will allow members to fill up their churches this Sunday.

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56 replies on “Chakwera attends funeral ceremony where mourners disregard Covid-19 measures”

  2. To you who has pointed to jesus christ be warned. If you are satanist is you doom. But many of us love JESUS CHRIST 4 HE IS ABLE.

  3. Musadane ndi ma pastors & bishops, chifukwa choti akudandaula, a president atakhazikitsa ndondomeko, ndikusatsatira ndichani, sikunyozera komweko. Pa campegn zinali bwanj?

  5. Yes but read section 11 (3) of the regulations and I quote “Subrule (1) shall not apply to (a) a funeral, (b) meeting of the National Assembly and (c) a meeting convened to discuss Covid-19 interventions. The meaning of “shall” in law is different from “will” a Malawi inu including lecturer who was known for chamba in those days.

  6. The Jesus industry has now been effectively tested and has failed. These “men of God” do not heal anything at all even in the name of their white Jesus. All these pastors and bishops do is to fool foolish women and children making them believe that a dead Jew called Jesus is the answer for everything. Ooo what a gigantic lie. Religions are simply cash cows for those in leadership positions and nothing more. When Covid is over, shall you really believe in a healing sermony by these mafias in white robes? Europe, America and Asia are already done with this prayer thing and yet they are prospering exponentially but Africa is still asleep being fooled by religions. Wakeup guys!! Especially women and children!!

  7. tell those pastor’s kuti akadzadza mmachurch ndi azokazi awo nri ana awo.

    kudzadza ma church can’t punish Chakwera it will punish themselves.

    Chakwera I safe, he can choose to ignore you the church and see u dying.

    you think preventive measures are meant for Chakwera himself?

    mufatu nsanga azibusa.

    Ngati ndichopereka osakhazikitsa nj8ra kmipingomo kuti anthu asasiye kukuthandizani bwanji?

    we know azibusa ambiri simutakataka you 100% depend on what members give.

    you know tikaimakaye kusonkhani mufa ndi njala.

    this is being hypocrite. In making sure you have money you want us in church. eish Makawian pastors.

    where is your wisdom.

    Ngati covid simukuyiopa bwanji simukukasanjika manja odwala.

    nde Chakwera anjenjemere.

    Go and Die in Church

    Anthu anga akuonongeka. chifukwa chakusadziwa.

    enjoy the services

    my God exists even in my home

  8. Things that work in Europe, China, Japan, USA and Australia cannot work here in Malawi. We have cultural issues that must be considered when coming up with laws. We need a lot of civic education. If people still find it difficult to vote or understand government issues, how do you expect them to start observing Covid-19 laws overnight? Yes we government has responsibility to protect it’s citizens. Whatever government does must have the consent of the people or the governed. People are not happy with the way things are run by government.

  9. Foseki
    These so called Bishop just want Money offerings from their followers. Those who want to die of Covid-19 go to their Church and Later infect their families.. You must not blame the government. Ask Alan Ngumuya he will tell you about Covid-19

  10. MALAWI! Let’s get serious, please! We have a small country that we can develop on every inch.
    Lets FOCUS!

  14. I cannot believe such travesty….in the comments written by the cadets below…..

    First of all the president went to the funeral as a president and not as a policeman to enforce the law…..so if anything these cadets should know better that it is not mr Chakweras responsibility to enforce the covid guidelines at the funeral.

    Secondly these cadets should know that when a president travels, he does not travel alone…….his entourage alone would have taken 50% of the number required to attend a funeral per the new guidelines and it would have been unfair for the real mourners at the funeral to be chased away to accommodate the president entourage.

    Thirdly, if the head of state attends a funeral it means that the funeral is not just any other funeral so there will always be some exceptions……..just as we allow our presidents to order stuff from abroad duty free although they get paid more than everyone working in the civil service.

    I think just because the Tonse alliance government has given us all the freedom to criticise everything that we think is not going well, I think on the other hand, let us use this freedom maturely and use common sense before start pointing fingers.

    1. Do you really have a brain or any idea about leadership and governance?, where else in the world have seen this happen apart from Malawi? We need leaders to set the tone for followers to follow suit. The reason Malawi leaders always have challenges with doing the right thing is because of pathetic followers like you, who clap hands for nonsense…am very disappointed with your reasoning. The president is the commander in chief, police falls under his jurisdiction, when taking his oath he swore to defend and preserve the laws of the land, so when you say his duty is not to enforce covid-19 guidelines what do you mean, isn’t it his government that came up with these guidelines as rules?

  16. Chakwera is not fit and intelligent jfi magulu oyambilila kupita Ku chancellor college chifukwa cha quota system. Ma points awo pa MSCE adali angati??

  17. When will Chakwera starting acting as a President for Malawi? Still looks like he in on vacation. I have not heard anything sensible from him apart from a phony cabinet selection.

  22. Chakwera ndiye galu ya munthu kwanasi. Pitani mkawatuluse anthu munagwira dzulo chifukwa cha COVID19.

  24. In attending a gathering that does not abide by the rules set by the goverment the presidency has painted the control measures with a bad picture. The message the executive has sent is self contradictory to the regulations in the new gazette on corona issues. By all standards leaders are expected to be exemplary is being law a biding. I hope next time the executive will consider standing in the correct side of their own laws.

  25. President Chakwera is beginning to show that he has no regard for the ideals of democracy which include a leader being fully accountable and transparent. How I ask can Chakwera lead a government which expects Malawians to follow the law when he himself is above the law.
    This man Chakwera will at best last only 4 years that remain until the next election if he is not impeached. The man shows signs of dictatorship and showmanship this is not a man of the people. People are increasingly looking to SKC for Presidency. Chakwera better buckle up.

  26. I have attended several funerals recently and its very difficult to enforce social distancing especially where villagers are involved. Best we can do is face coverings but even that is a challenge.

    In the end its up to the family komabe if we are not careful, covid will infect us all and kill a good number of us.

  27. Please do not blame Chakwera for all this nonsense. Who is responsible for our lives? Is it Chakwera or ourselves? It is clearly stated that we are responsible for our own health and safety and that of others who are working with us. We should not always wait, for example, for the police or road traffic to check if our vehicles are road worthy. We have to do it ourselves. The problem with Malawians is that we are not responsible people and would always want to be whipped. That is the reason Kamuzu was saying that we were not ready for democracy. We think democracy is freedom for everything.

  29. Malawians are slave. Why creating ruled to punish the poor masses. Ministers and president use governent vehicles and govt vehicle s exempted from being public. Selfishness at its best. Do they consider those travelling from Karonga to Nsanje on public transport. Do they consider asthmatics who can not put on a mask for 10 minutes? please Tonse govt. It’s too early.

  31. Amangidwe basi lamulo liposa mphamvu ndi Chakwera yomweyi. Anaimba kale Wambali kuti “kupanga malamulo kunyekezya waka wanyao. Anthu ndiye adzifinyika. Poti dziko ndi lao adzachiona tsiku ndi limodzi. Palibe woposa Mulungu.

  33. Anyone who doubted that Chakwera is not a good leader should just look at his behaviour and actions in the past month.

  34. The police has arrested people and charged them K10, 000 for disregarding CIVID restrictions. Why on earth would Chakwera create restrictions and disregard them?

    1. Should the President who wore a mask be blamed for those who didn’t wear masks I don’t quite get it here?

    2. The government have to give back the money which they collected as a penalty if they fail then they also need to pay for breaking the measures
      No body is greater than the law.

      But in Malawi it’s not like that ,the government is greater than the law!!
      Oh my country who bewitched you.
      I was thinking things have changed for better but
      It seems not.

    1. I don’t see any problem here. And I totally disagree with the perception being painted against the president regarding this issue. Chakwera just attended the funeral. He was not one of the organisers of the funeral. He did not invite people to the funeral. He went there as a mourner. Let’s put the blame on the organisers of the funeral or the security if there was any. You can’t expect a whole president to be chasing people away at a funeral he has attended. Yes we are free to oppose, but let’s do it with reasoning and without hate. Again, issues of COVID 19 are a personal responsibility. Let us not wait for government to push us to comply with the regulations. It’s about our own health, not government’s.

      1. Government would have bought masks and distribute to those who did not have..Above all a lot of masks have been donated to the government by well wishers.The organizer’s of Late Mrs Dinala funeral would have included masks in their budget to cater for those who could not afford masks.Mr President his duty would have been to remind his office to communicate with the funeral organizer’s to adhere to covid 19 rules and guidelines.

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