Chakwera tells Karonga President Mutharika has no powers to set maize prices: ‘Malawi is crumbling’
The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera on Friday attacked the country’s President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for setting the maize price in state grain trader ADMARC, saying its a violation of his power.
The MCP leader made the remarks at a political rally held at Mlare primary school ground in Karonga attended by hundreds of supporters.
According to Chakwera, ADMARC is mandated to set such prices.
“I have heard your cries about the skyrocketing prices of maize in our ADMARC and I am assuring you that MCP will fight for it in Parliament,” said Chakwera, who is also leader of the opposition.
“We wonder why did the country’s President set the price of maize and on top of that at the high price. This shows that he don’t take the lives of poor Malawians seriously. He out of touch,” he added.
Chakwera said for the country’s challenges such as food and electricity shortages to be overcome, it needs a game changer in leadership.
“The health delivery system is in shambles, there is no water, electricity is becoming scarce everyday and people have no food. But if our leaders stop being selfish and have a heart of serving people, Malawi can recover from the crisis we are going through,” he said.
Chakwera also said the country’s problems do not signify that God is angry, rather the current leadership is greedy, has no love and has lost direction.
He called on President Mutharika to acknowledge failure and resign.
Chakwera said: “It is an open secret that government has failed to run the country and the honourable thing is for the leadership to acknowledge failure.”
In his speech, Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda who is the MCP shadow MP for the area, said despite Mutharika ordered ADMARC to immediately open its markets.
“People are just buying maize from vendors who are selling the maize price at a better price than ADMARC,” worried Mwalwanda.
He also expressed his happines on how people in the district support MCP, saying ‘it is sending strong message to other parties.
Almost 16 traditional leaders who attended the meeting pleaded with the MCP leader to fight for the welfare of their starving subjects saying ” you are our only saviour from this hunger problem.”
Some of the notable people attended the meeting include speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, Daniel Chitonya Mwanyongo who is the renowned business tycoon as well as the MCP shadow MP for Karonga north west among others.
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If vendors are selling maize at a lower price,its good move only to those who can understand this very well,but to blind f ollowers of some parties they can not understand.Fistly ADMARC is selling the maize without any profit.unless anyone come open and tell me a different price that ADMARC was buying this maize.Everyone in this nation should understand why this scenario ,its not a thing of just pointing fingers at one another.Last YEAR we had maize in our ADMARC ,how many malawians were buying this maize at a lower price? This year the price is high ,yes but ,the… Read more »
When you argue with a fool you make yourself look like one. As the Russian say Nye democracia em proffesional. No need to just be getting political and criticizing to the mass when you are the leader of opposition in parliament. Call for a referendum or something!
kodi ndiye kuti nyasatimes siyimalemba za UDF kapena PP its just MCP and DPP basi? about civil society its just CEDEP, CHRR and Billy Mayaya
We thought there is sense in Chakwera but mmmmmmm talking like the headless Trapence of CEDEP. Mr. Chakwera you are leader of opposition and president of a party not these civil society groups. We expect you to offer hope to Malawians. Always you just argue without selling the strong strategies of MCP and you want people to vote for you without knowing what you will do? This is why Malawi will continue with the DPP as a lesser evil. Yes DPP has failed to run the country but outside government there is no any capable person to bail out Malawi… Read more »
Chakwera is not a serious politician if at all he is one. Admarc will be selling the grain at a loss and what the president did was to minimize the loss. The fact that Admarc is selling maize at cost price, it means it is selling at a loss as it will never recover logistic and management costs. And Chakwera thinks maize should have been given away for free. Can IMF and World Bank accept subsidizing consumption? If the two institutions can be defied it would mean double trouble for the very same poor people he is pretending to care… Read more »
Rubbish why are vendors selling at a cheaper price if what you say is true. Do you mean government was buying at higher price than the vendors. That would have translated into government having more maize than the vendors.
Chakwela is just a dead man alive. Musiyeni aziphupha kumamtalikilanso mungamalizike naye limodzi.
Let critics come on this platform and debate, those be humans, nyima if not manyi, imran sadic and all mind stricken povertised dpp blind supporters who backup each and every nasty step of this evil government. Ana asatana who can’t see that dpp is a walking devil, complete failure, a non directional entity that awards non performers. Go to the rural areas and find out how many can afford to buy maize whose price was dictated by your useless leader, LET MARKET MECHANISMS PLAY ITS OWN ROLE, MALAWI IS A CAPITALIST ECONOMY SO ITS STUPID TO DICTATE PRICES.
akulu buying a car at K2million and selling it at K2million is almost giving without added cost..leave politics and reason