Chakwera delivers optimist New Year message for 2021: Talks of collective action to build Malawi not ‘nay-sayers’
President Lazarus Chakwera has asked Malawians to rediscover the spirit of togetherness to take what he called national activity of national building and support his administration’s efforts to rebuild the country, expressing the hope that 2021 will be great year despite coming from a very troubling 2020 which has left the country vulnerable in some areas.
In his new year message monitored on taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC), Chakwera focused on a collective action approach in 2021.
“I share in you a hope that 2021 will bring us a hope to us as a nation, but that hope will not come without our efforts.
“The year 2020 has left us vulnerable and left us hopeless due to Covid 19 Pandemic which has caused industry closure, loss of jobs and economy and all income generating activities and the pandemic has already faced us with a new wave which is stronger than the first,” Chakwera said.
Chakwera said Malawi does not need “nay-sayers” to progress but “men and women of decisive action.”
The President said: “I know there are individuals whose duty is to point fingers at leaders or authorities because this is how they bring their bread and butter on their tables but this is not what we want.”
He said Malawians should pull the stops out – together – to keep the country moving amidst the contagium and other problems such as food security, corruption, healthcare , education, agriculture, economy and Malawi could rise if citizens face the challenges collectively.
Chakwera said for the country to do well, there is need reject the spirit of helpless surrender by not seeing Malawians as a people who cannot do anything to change ourselves unless there was help from government or donors.
“Unhelpful surrender, making unhelpful complaints, isolated activisms are some of the approaches of solving our national ills and failed from time in memorial but now we must face all crises well focused and collective action,” said Chakwera.
He said the 2019 presidential elections, closing borders due to Covid-19, firing of the Army General, Vincent Nundwe, force retirement of the Judiciary Chief Justice, Andrew Nyirenda, registering minors by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in the National Registration Bureau database were all the malfunctions that could have consumed the nation into chaos but were face with focus and collective actions.
Chakwera hinted on some success of Tonse Alliance success in 185 days he has been in office.
They include procurement of 120 metric tonnes of maize in readiness of any hunger challenges, fully funded Anti-Corruption Bill (ACB), implementation of K100 000 free tax threshold band, secured Tanzanians commitment to give easy access to its ports, operationalized the Access to Information Bill and the tripling of figures to access subsided Agriculture Input Programme to 4.2 million beneficiaries.
“We have commenced the construction of 10 000 houses for houses for various security agents, turning Karonga into a town and Mangochi into a municipality as our focus is on tourism expansion.
“Fixing this country cannot be done by an individual or in a day. Fixing this country requires focused mind and collective action and not self-satisfaction or personal rewards,” he alluded.
The President called upon everyone to practically subscribe the Tonse Government philosophy of doing everything together and providing solutions to the ills of the country as one nation.
He called upon the nation to continue practicing all Covid-19 precautionary measures in order to deter further spread of the deadly outbreak.
Chakwera partnered Saulos Chilima who is president of UTM Party and seven other political parties to form a nine-party Tonse Alliance in the June 23 2020 court-sanctioned presidential election that ousted Democratic Progressive Party from power.—Additional reporting by Mphatso Nkuonera – Mana
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His talk was pathetic and empty. A national address was turned into a political propaganda speech. Why should nundwe and the corrupt judges be mentioned in a national addresses? And what Chakwera is telling us as his achievements over the past 7 months is very very laughable. The speech was simply hopeless with no vision and national agenda in it.
This guy just talks too much for attention. He is clueless and useless
Turning Karonga into a town is an achievement? Koma umbuli ndi matenda.
Please be advised to handle this matter nicely as you know already that we have our many enemies whish is uneducated if you once again miss a word of education to Mangochis then expect Blantyre not tocomply
More talk, no action. Malawians are already tired of Chakwera unending talk. We had hope but all the hope is vanishing when blackouts are a daily occurrence.
Public sector appointments are only for the privileged few
Talk Talk Chakwera only proving he has not run out of Talk Talk. Chakwera never tires of Talk, Talk but fails to deliver on Tonse promises. Village politics of Talk Talk Chakwera is bringing Malawi down.
Well said! Chakwera is all talk in his fake American accent! People are suffering! You asked for 6 months, what have you done for Malawi? Your courrpt government is full of lies and nonsense!
A Chimwene. The best way to stop them saying is by doing and make their comments redundant. Or let them talk and use their noise to correct your CV.
I am almost tired of this Chakwera talk talk man. He is a man who can promise paradise and offer hell instead. May he for once organise himself this 2021 and rule Malawi wisely, other wise he will be impeached.
Merits and demerits in the speach. The issues of presidential challenges are nepotism, regionalism, gender equality on all government appointments which unfortunately have leaned to party affiliation. Those appointed feel they are superhuman than other humans in Malawi. This is what the people complained to the previous government but it is no different now. To expect Malawians to walk together in the Tonse philosophy in the midst of these unresolved issues is unfortunate.
I look forward to next week’s ‘kantoletole’.
Mwalemba chichtali amwene Atokwane koma chopanda mfundo. Mwina zeru zinachepa. Tizibvomera. Zimachitika. Fertiliser agula a malume.