Chakwera’s failed leadership to blame for passport crisis-Chaponda
Leader of Opposition in Parliament, George Chaponda has called out President Lazarus Chakwera’s incompetence for failing to fix Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services passport mess which culminated into riots on Thursday.
Passport applicants broke windows, smashed cars, and closed roads leading to the offices demanding swift action on their travel documents.
Chaponda condemned the action saying: “While I understand the frustration and desperation that led to this outburst, I believe that violence and destruction are not the solution.
“The current passport crisis is a man-made disaster, caused by the incompetence and negligence of the current leadership. President Chakwera’s administration has failed to address this issue, despite numerous promises and assurances.”
Chaponda, who is also vice president of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the southern region said it is appalling that cabinet ministers are busy buying votes for their convention instead of working tirelessly to resolve this crisis. “Their priorities are clear, and it’s not the welfare of Malawian’s.”
He blasted Chakwera’s leadership saying: “It’s shocking that no one has been held accountable at the Department of Immigration, despite clear testimony that the current situation demands decisive leadership. No one has been fired, no one has taken responsibility, and no concrete actions have been taken to rectify the situation.
“This lack of accountability and leadership is a clear indication of the government’s inability to manage the affairs of the state. Instead of taking responsibility and finding solutions, they are busy with political maneuvering and self-preservation.”
Meanwhile, the department has launched an inquiry to locate and apprehend perpetrators.
Wellington Chiponde, National Public Relations Officer said: “The Department has responded swiftly to the demand surge for passport services, by among others, resuming the provision of passport services in Blantyre, developing a clear roadmap of resuming provision of passport services in Mzuzu and Mangochi, and deploying systematic approaches of clearing all the outstanding passport backlog.”
