Expectations rise among Malawians as Chakwera announces National Address at 8pm tonight

There are high expectations among Malawians following an announcement from the State House that President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera will address the nation at 8pm tonight.

The address comes barely a few days after the quasi-religious body – the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) – asked Chakwera to provide policy direction on a number of pressing national issues such as the need to reshuffle his Cabinet.

PAC also challenged the President to demonstrate his political will in corruption fight by firing ministers and senior government officials suspected to be involved in corrupt practices.

PAC Chairperson Monsignor Dr. Patrick Thawale said Malawians are tired of hearing endless stories about how Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the economy and are now waiting to hear what their government is doing to address the hardships that have emanated from the pandemic.

“Your Excellency, the public view seems to suggest that the administration lacks direction on the mitigation of economic hardship. We believe that in this area relevant Ministries that have a bearing on economic development ought to be aggressive in communicating to the public. It seems they have distanced themselves from their rightful role. Your Excellency may consider to package properly the information on economy to be imparted to the public, and your Cabinet Ministers ought to be in the forefront to defend and justify the economic status. This brings us to the next aspect we are following up,” said Thawale.

The fearless PAC chairperson also highlighted Chakwera’s hypocrisy in tackling nepotism, stressing that questions continue to linger among well-meaning Malawians on how the President’s daughter’s posting to the Malawi Embassy in the United Kingdom and the appointment of son-in-law Sean Kampondeni, who doubles functions as Personal Assistant as well as Director of Communications, compounds the situation.

Thawale challenged that that “even if these officials have competences, this is Malawi Your Excellency, the public will never trust you especially that those participating in this allegedly nepotism are in the Office of the Presidency.”

“Your moral standing becomes diluted,” he said.

PAC also demanded that President Chakwera should reshuffle his Cabinet, fire Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC), Zanga-Zanga Chikhosi, and other senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Presidential Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda confirmed that Chakwera is due to make the address this night, but could not be drawn to comment on the nitty-gritties of the address.

Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) executive director, Sylvester Namiwa, welcomed the development, saying it was long overdue.

Namiwa said he expects Chakwera to tell the nation what his government has been doing to address challenges that are weighing down poor Malawians.

On the other hand, some social media enthusiasts expect the President to tell Malawians his government’s stand on cases involving businessman Zuneth Sattar and Martha Chizuma, ACB Director General leaked call recording.

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