Chakwera’s 100-day milestone: Fight corruption, narrow inequality gap

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera said his will prioritise fighting theft of public resources and  stinking corruption  bedevilling  government in  his first 100 days in office if elected as Malawi leader in the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Chakwera said this during the last televised  presidential debate on Friday held in Lilongwe.

Moderator  Reverend Patrick Semphere asked Chakwera and other panellists to state what they will do in first 100 days in office.

Responding in two minutes allocated time, Chakwera said he will end abuse of State broadcaster, Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC), and operationalise the Access to Information (ATI) law to improve good governance, among others.

“In the first 100 days, we will stop some things and start new ones although we realise that government is a continuous process. Stop theft and corruption, end abuse of MBC by ruling parties and the Access to Information Act will be implemented.

“We will also revamp Admarc to ensure it serves the public, reduce powers of the presidency by trimming powers in appointment of people in offices, tackle killings and abductions of people with albinism,” said Chakwera.

During the debate, Chakwera also said MCP will tackle abject poverty by promoting education starting with early child development,  depoliticising the civil service, creating a culture of rewarding efficiency and productivity, among others.

He said the concentration of extreme wealth at the top is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a system that is failing the millions of hard-working people on poverty wages.

The MCP leader promised  to break down the barriers that are holding back the country’s  poorest people.

Chakwera said he will consult the opposition regularly, ensure the National Planning Commission (NPC) is non-partisan and appear before Parliament to answer Presidential questions as well as appoint an inclusive Cabinet.

Apart from Chakwera, UTM Party’s Saulos Chilima, United Democratic Front (UDF) Atupele Muluzi,  Umodzi Party’s John Chisi, Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Democracy (MMD) and Independent candidate Reverend Hardwick Kaliya were the other candidates who participated in the debate while incumbent President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Tisinthe Alliance candidate Cassim Chilumpha did not participate in the debate.

The 2019 presidential debates task-force consisted of Misa-Malawi, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Times Group and Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS).

Others were Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), Democracy Works Foundation (DWF), Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Malawi Law Society (MLS), Public Affairs Committee (PAC), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust, and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

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