Chakwera denounces tendency of sidelining other regions in implementation of development programmes
Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has denounced the tendency by the previous administrations to treat the pain of Malawians in one region as unworthy of action compared to another, stressing that this is equal to violation of rights for people whose region is sidelined in the implementation of development project.
Chakwera made the remarks at the ARC Group Insurance Payout at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe today.
“As a country we have long been trapped in the vicious cycle of unrestrained consumption, eating everything we get from a good harvest without keeping anything for a potentially bad harvest in the future. This is selfish living, not servant leadership. But thanks to the work of our officials and the support of our partners, my government signed a drought insurance policy with ARC Limited to make provision for the drought that has now hit a few districts this year. That is servant leadership,” said the President.
President Chakwera reiterated his commitment to change the way he would run the government to ensure that all the regions are benefitting from the taxpayer-funded projects and programmes.
He said instead of running things to serve personal interest as others did in the past, he will practice a servant leadership that puts the needs of Malawians above his own.
“And I have done that. I said that instead of running things using divisive language as others did in the past, I would use my voice to unite Malawians, and I have done that. I said that instead of developing only one region of the country or one part of the economy as others did in the past, I would deploy development and employ economic policies that ensure that the economic harvest that is coming as a result enables all Malawians to prosper together, and I have done that.
“I said that instead of using the presidency to weaken institutions and shield the corrupt as others did in the past, I would strengthen institutions and remove from office those implicated in corruption cases, and I have done that.
“And lastly, I said that instead of allowing the rich, the powerful, and the connected to live above the law as was the case in the past, I would promote and practice the rule of law so that we begin to make Malawi and more equal and just society, and I have done that,” narrated Chakwera.
However, the President said he had come to realize that doing the five things himself is not enough; hence, the need for every Malawian to participate in their implementation.
“If the policies, programmes, and projects that my administration has developed are going to achieve job creation, wealth creation, and food security as they are meant to, then we have to make sure that these five values are practiced by everyone in the public sector. And what delights me about this occasion is that this payout is the fruit of the tireless efforts of officials in my administration to live by the values of servant leadership, uniting Malawians, prospering together, ending corruption, and the rule of law.
“Secondly, as a country, we have long been trapped in the vicious cycle of regionalism to the point of treating the pain of Malawians in one region as unworthy of action compared to another. But thanks to the work of our officials and the support of our partners, the ADDs of Karonga and Mzuzu in the north, of Kasungu, Salima, and Lilongwe in the centre, and of Blantyre, Machinga, and the Shire Valley in the south, which have all been affected by drought this year, will all get helped. That is uniting Malawians and prospering together,” said Chakwera.
“And the fact that we have done this transparently and in collaboration with international partners like the ARC Group, the African Development Bank via the MultiDonor Trust Fund and ADRiFi program, the British, Swiss, and German Governments, means that at every step of the way, there is due diligence by all stakeholders to ensure that no dollar of this payout for the vulnerable people whose crops have not done well is lost through corruption and no laws of Malawi are breached in the administration of it.
“I therefore, want to thank all the Government officials who have made this payout a reality. When I went around the country on a crop inspection tour and assured Malawians that the country had enough food for everyone and that even those few whose crops had not done well would be provided for, my confidence came from the fact that we had taken this insurance policy to support Malawians in this time of need. And I want to especially thank the ARC Group for honouring the agreed payout as you have done today,” he said.
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