Chakwera ready to trim presidential powers, waiting for law amendment – Spokesperson
PresidentLazarus Chakwera is ready to reduce his ‘unnecessary’ presidential powers but he is waiting for the laws to change, State House has said.
Press Secretary to the Malawian head of state, Brian Banda responding to questions from journalist during State House weekly briefing on Monday said President Chakwera is committed to fulfil his campaign promises.
“President Chakwera will cut to size his presidential powers as promised during the electoral campaign period but he is only waiting for the law to change in that regard.
“Currently, the president is acting within the current law legal framework which gives him powers to be installed as a Chancellor of universities in Malawi.
“But that is not what the President want. He wants this to change. He is only accepting to do this because ‘things’ have to be done and people have to graduate and as enshrined in the laws, as the President, he is duty bound to preside these academic activities until the new law comes into force.”
The Presidential press aide said President believes in the rule of law adding that the process to have the law on presidential powers changed to ensure that the Republican President does not wield unnecessary and too many powers.
During the presidential campaign last year, Chakwera, to woo voters’ electoral favours, pledged to the masses to slash some of the presidential powers when voted into power as president.
Said Chakwera:” When I become President, I will trim some of the presidential powers. The president has too many powers, some of which are not necessary.
“There is no need for a president to the Chancellor of every university in the country. We can give such powers to the academics.”.
But since assuming the presidency, Chakwera has since gone against his promises by being installed firstly as Chancellor for Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource formerly Bunda College of Agriculture then secondly as Chancellor of University of Malawi and thirdly Chancellor of Mzuzu University.
Banda, however, emphasised that President Chakwera will cease to be the chancellor of the Universities once the laws are enacted into effect.
State House conducts regular press briefings in order to acquaint the media with what the president has been doing or what he will do in the next couple of days coming.
This is the first time in history of Malawi for the State House to be involved in such regular briefing on a weekly basis so as to keep the nation abreast of what is going.
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The most interesting thing is that the move to relinquish some powers will have no impact on Governance. Rev. Chakwera is already the weakest President in Africa , nkwatele nkwatele.
A Brian Banda kwakoma kuboma. Madimples nanga achemwali awo. Zokoma izo unayifunadi nychito iyo.
vuto si mphavu za mphando; vuto ndi kusadziwa kugwiritsa ntchito mphamvuzo. we already said; stewardship baba ikukuopsani.
Says the guy who said he would not become chancellor of public universities only to turn 360 afte 8 months on powe. Power corrupts msamatinamize.
stop telling us nosense . Being chaNCDELLOR IS OPTIONAL. hE IS FREE TO DECLINE BUT THE DUDE LIKES POWER.
Exactly. He can delegate the chancellorship of UNIMA to somebody else, per the university act. But he hasn’t.
Even non-ceremonial powers like choosing the ACB director, he now wants to be given a choice of three from which he can choose one. In other words, he still wants to wield enormous power.
Elections have consequences, his followers might argue. If that is true, then stop this stupid talk about trimming powers. It ain’t funny at all.
Instead of canaan, Chakwera seems headed for Baghdad indeed 😂😂😂😂😂
Brian Banda mwayamba kusambila chocolate soap? Mwayamba kudzola carorite? Mwayelatu.
Mabodza awa. The law says the president can also appoint a Chancellor in consultation with the university council. Once he got in power. While waiting for laws to change, he cud have done that. Some laws don’t need changing when thy have such flexibility
True. He’s just Mr Talk Talk
You’ve hit the nail on the head Sikusinja. The Laws are flexible – Chwakwera can appoint another person of good standing in society to be Vice Chancellor of a public university. This is just Laz’s way of buying time. He loves the trimmings of Presidential powers too much. If he is a stickler for the Law then one would expect that he will start signing death warrants for prisoners on death row. But he won’t. Just like all other presidents after 1994, Laz will ignore the death penalty and instead treat it as life imprisonment… Chakwera cherry picks which “Laws”… Read more »
You have hit the nail on the head.Honestly he could have done exactly what you have mentioned but he is enjoying this chancellor’s position.
Pena zimandidabwitsa ma journalist athu the way they ask mafunso awo without having proper follow up questions. If what you are saying is true (I am not an expert here), I wonder why you journalists could not throw your observation to Brian. Tinakamva bodza lake.