President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has bemoaned the path of lawlessness that the country took at the dawn of democracy observing that the lack of respect of laws has weakened and slowed the country in its development agenda.
Speaking during the commemoration event of Kamuzu Day in Lilongwe on Saturday, Chakwera said it was unfortunate that after 1994 most Malawians thought that democracy was a licence for them to do as they please without the respect of the law.
Chakwera – called for unity
Said Chakwera: “There is no nation on earth that allows people to do whatever they want. Every nation has laws that forbid things it deems to be harmful to its citizens, laws that forbid things it deems to be harmful to its resources, laws that forbid things it deems to be harmful to its economy, laws that forbid things it deems to be harmful to its social cohesion, laws that forbid things it deems to be harmful to its freedoms.
“A strong nation is one that moves into the future upholding freedoms in one hand and upholding laws in the other. Unfortunately, in 1994, we carried freedom in one hand and moved with speed into the future without carrying the law in the other hand.”
The President bemoaned that as a result of what people have been believing the country has had 26 years of lawlessness in many sectors including in agriculture, politics, elections, the media, government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, embassies, banks, and land administration.
“(We have) even lawlessness in law enforcement agencies and the legal fraternity itself. We must have a balance between freedom and the law in order to ensure that we are not only a free nation, but also a strong and united one. Without unity and strength, we cannot build lasting things or accomplish difficult things. Just two days ago I signed 15 bills into law in order to make Malawi stronger by ending the lawlessness that prevails in many sectors,” added Chakwera.
The President appealed to Malawians for each one to play a part in helping make Malawi stronger by upholding the laws.
The theme for this year’s commemoration of Kamuzu Day is “Reflecting the culture of unity for nation-building” and President Chakwera said for all the faults that Kamuzu Banda had, bringing disunity among us was not one of them hence a befitting theme to remember him.
“There are a few who believe that having a national holiday for reflecting on Malawi’s Founding President is a waste of time. It is their right and freedom to believe as they please, but I and millions of other Malawians disagree,” said Chakwera.
The president argued that reflecting on Kamuzu helps Malawians to reflect on themselves as a people.
Said Chakwera: “One of the best things we see about ourselves in his leadership is our capacity to unite for development. There are developments he built in the south, developments he built in the center, and developments he built in the north. In every region of the country, he built schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, farms, and airports.”
You are corrupt yourself.
Im the name of gifts do politicians sell the nation