Chilima readies coherent strategy for Malawi to combat Covid-19
After President Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday proclaimed a state of national disaster and directed that the country’s second-in-command Saulos Chilima leads a ministerial task-team to review Covid-19 guidelines in order to respond effectively to the pandemic, the vice-president hit the ground on Wednesday by chairing a first meeting with the Ministers in Lilongwe to work on coherent strategy.
Present at the meeting at the Bingu international Conference Centre (BICC) auditorium, were the Ministers for Health, Homeland Security, Education, Civic Education, Local Government, Justice and Information.
The ministerial special team that the Vice President is leading is expected to review and recommend the new guidelines to Presidential Task Force for implementation in a bid to effectively respond to the pandemic that has killed over 10 people this year alone including Local Government Minister Lingson Belekanyama and Transport and Public Works Minister Mohamed Sidik Mia .
During a national address on Tuesday, President Chakwera directed that the ministries of Health, Homeland Security, Education, Civic Education, Local Government, Justice and Information to work together with the Office of the Vice President to review Covid-19 guidelines and recommend any amendments to be made to the guidelines.
Chakwera hinted that he was prepared to take the extraordinary step of declaring a State of Emergency subject to approval by the Defence and Security Committee of Parliament when he would direct the military to impose a curfew.
Meanwhile, Chilima has bemoaned the death of his two Tonse Alliance Cabinet colleagues, saying “the country has lost great leaders”.
Other prominent personalities who have succumbed to Covid-19 include Traditional Authority Njolomole of Ntcheu, veteran broadcaster Maria Chidzanja Nkhoma, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information Ernest Kantchentche, two Mzuzu university professors and other leaders over the past two weeks.
Malawi is currently observing three days of national mourning and Chakwera ordered that national flags fly at half-staff.
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Baby chilima told us to keep hugging coz there is no covid-19. We are still waiting for him to come and tell us that covid-19 is real and to stop hugging. Apo bii apepese kaye Arafat Hamdan wanuyu. And where is the strategy for 1 million jobs?
How can someone who doesn’t believe Covid exists lead the fight against the same? Dzuka Malawi Dzuka.
Our hospitals have no PPEs while Ministers and other Govt officials are busy buying and driving super expensive cars. Jehena ili pansi pompano ndithu. Nokha alliance itithandiza koma?
Allowances and hotel expenses could have used to purchase Covid-19 testing kits .
Leaders, please change the way we do thing. Why can not you go for virsual meetings
Lazaro decision making is poor. You want baby Chilima to lead the covid-19 fight, is he not the same person who was telling malawians there is no covid-19. A couple of mofos leading this country to poverty and death. I pitty the fools amapita kunzue, mwaonatu, uchitsilu wanu wabweletsa
Mr President have lost the plot? How can you appoint someone so heartless who once said Corona kulibe anthu amayamba kufa kaye then that is when you can have the numbers.
You will regret this.This guy and JB have to apologise to the entire nation snd have to show remorse to the families that have lost loved ones through Covid-19.
We are where we are because of the greed of these guys ndi anzawo a HRDC.
Foolish dpp wl not come back
Don’t blame Chilima, this virus is all over the world, I understand your hate for Chilima it’s not about the Virus but DPP loss to govern. It’s a bitter pill for Cadets to accept the loss but don’t worry by and by u will come to your senses and realise that DPP it’s in opposition . Even when u dumped UDF after propelling Bingu to power, the UDF Youth felt the same pain but turn to accept it . So my advise to Cadets is that u need to accept it that its Tonse Alliance in government and not DPP… Read more »
Iwe nkape ndithu zugwirizana chani . Dont u see kuti only pple with polutjcal posituons sre the onez being announced dead while thousands wuthout political nzmes are dying in ths same public hosipitals ena oti sangakwanitse kufika ku chipatala they are just dying
My friend ,i think you are really cadet ,how can u say this , you want someone to apologise to for what ? or what good have you done so that the Chilima apologise to you? this wont happen , despite of covid19 Tonse alliance is on lead sailing the government
Bwana we need action.
Tidzidikira page nduna?
I think Malawian politicians are just perpetually selfish.
Inu, there are so many things that could’ve been easily been implemented before things got out of hand. But I guess you were trying to sniff for your personal opportunities on this first.
Komasotu, even now, there are so many things that can be implemented immediately and don’t need to wait for any meetings of the so called task force. You can set a few things in place now – but I guess you want to wait for the meetings coz that’s an opportunity for allowances.
I have personally met the so called task force they are just a group of morons who knows nothing and all they sre interestes in is to collect teavel allowances
No clue at all.
Just shut out the returnees from affected countries and the pandemic will minimise
If you really have to meet physically, please meet at State House, Mntunthama, Capitol Hill, or any govt facility where you will not pay. Why do you have to meet at BICC all the time? Spending tax money unnecessarily when boma lili ndi ma facilities okwana. Mumadyapo kapena?
I salute you,this has to come to an end.Some of these government facilities are underutilised
I second you chief only on this issue ,really, we have alot of government facilities that can be used why always going for paid facilities ,why? misonkho yathu mayooooo