Chakwera performs state opening of Parliament, delivers first Sona

President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday performed the State opening of the first meeting of the 49th session of Parliament in Lilongwe and the 2020/2021  National Budget meeting.

By 10am, the President arrived at Parliament and proceeded to inspect a guard of honour, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters and sympathisers saluted and cheered him on.

Inside Parliament, Members of Parliament (MPs) across the political divide were seen mocking each other, with the Tonse Alliance government side members bragging of being in power legitimately.

When vice-president Saulos Chilima walked into the chamber. The government MPs cheered him, but the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators  queued to greet Chilima who was conspicuously friendly – despite being ill-treated by the party when he was second-in-command to the country’s immediate past president Peter Mutharika.

While the majority MPs  showed the usual respect the President enjoys in the august House, someDPP MPs were seen making noise deliberately to disrupt th Sona but the  first-ever female Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara stood and warned them against making further noise.

Chakwera started his Sona by  stating that  “Malawi stands in the twilight hours between the receding gloom of a long dark night and the rising bloom of a new day.”

Said the President: “ In this time of transition, the providence of God and the profundity of Malawians have conspired to bestow on me the honor of presenting you and this August House with a portrait of the state of our nation.”

Chakwera delivered his Sona  under the theme, ‘Restoring Warmth to the Heart of Africa,’  covering his  assessment of the state of the Republic, the state of the citizens, the state of the economy, and the state of governance.

He applauded the Justices of the High Court and Supreme Court for earning Malawi high praise across the globe through their meticulous and transparent handling of the

Constitutional case on the disputed 2019 Presidential election.

Chakwera said his administration will ensure that the judiciary is empowered to ensure justice all the time in time to all people.

He suggests the construction of judiciary headquarters behind Parliament building

The President  said his administration is currently training 50 Magistrates in order to boost the judiciary services.

During the Sona, Chakwera announced that he will soon be launching National Youths Services in light of 1 million jobs promise.

Chakwera touched on the need of revamping the railway line as one way of boosting transportation sector.

He said:”Its sad that the DPP regime neglected the railway sector the reasons which they know.”

On local government, Chakwera said his administration will construct District Commissioners’ and Civic Offices in Councils.

“We will also review the policies and systems related to the administration of local councils and the improvement of Chiefs’ welfare,” he said.

Chakwera describes Councils as critical stakeholders in Rural Transformation and Development agenda, saying they are at the epicenter of inclusive wealth creation in local communities.

On the quota system of selecting students to public universities, Chakwera saidwhile the past administration made sure that the quota system is gone, my administration will make sure that the quota system is dead.

“My administration is committed to ensuring that every child goes to school, stays in school and finishes school,” he said.

Chakwera has since promised to revamp tobacco farming so that farmers benefits from the industry.

On foreign affairs , Chakwera promised to work with African Union, United Nations Southern Africa Development Community in order to ensure economic intergration.