Mutharika ‘recycles’ speech, says Malawi to suffer Cashgate consequences in next decade

President Peter Mutharika on Monday 21November 2016 completely left Malawian youths with no hope about their future as he addressed the nation through national broadcaster MBC in what ciritics say he recycled the same old story.

Given that the President does not easily give media interviews, Monday night many Malawians were eagerly waiting for the President to articulate the vision for Malawi and what his government has achieved as the year 2016 comes to an end.

Most of the youths especially university students who are back in their respective homes following the closure of their respective Universities also expected the president to provide an ending to their problem but he finished without instilling positivity to them and also other graduants who remain unemployed.

As earlier predicted by many Malawians, Mutharika almost repeated the same speech he presented in May during the opening of parliamentary deliberations in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) early this year.

In his 45-minute address, Mutharika said the economy of the country is still struggling to heal from the wounds of plunder of public finances in the famous cash-gate.

“Accepting the presence of a problem is the first stage in solving any problem. Let us admit that our country has, over the past few years, experienced some challenges that have negatively affected the lives of our people, particularly the poor. I know the pain most of us have been feeling. But I also understand our impatience to urgently get out of our challenges because this nation has suffered in poverty for many years,” said Mutharika.

“We are all tired of being a poor country. I hear the silent voices of those who cannot speak; and I can understand the feeling of those who want Malawi to change overnight. But in our silent voices and urgent feelings, I see our collective will to use our challenges as a collective motivation to pursue long term solutions. I only ask for one thing: to focus on the real issues,” he added.

Generally, the President said his government is making sure that no Malawian dies of hunger through distribution of maize and other food stuffs to most poor and vulnerable Malawians.

He said his government is geared to increasingly promote irrigation projects in collaboration with other development partners in implementing a plan that is aimed at bring back the cycle of food insecurity in the country.

On health, Mutharika said the goverment will recruit more nurses and doctors with assistance from the global fund.

“I am pleased to report that we are recruiting an additional 1,44m health workers with assistance from the Global Fund and PEPFAR. Out of this figure, we have already processed the recruitment of 960 health workers across all cadres under the Global Fund and PEPFAR” said Mutharika.

He also revealed that the construction of Phalombe District Hospital starts soon and is expected to be finished by 2019.

Touching on education, the President said the government is will also upgradde 33 Community Day Secondary Schools to conventional Secondary Schools. The construction works will be done with funding from European Union.

He also hinted that his government intends to invest in utilities.

Mutharika said he will make sure that electricity generating power plants are rehabilitated and modernized to ease electriciy problems.

The President said will imitiate a project of installing water pipes from Lake Malawi  to the hinterland in three locations.

In his speech, Mutharika said  he hopes to resuscitate projects that were stalled and suspended by cashgate that in such a way, Malawi instills doner confidence.

“Cashgate was so devastating that we will continue to face its consequences for the next decade,” said Mutharika.

He told the nation that he inherited from Joyce Banda, his predecessor a country that was “almost bankrupt; a country without budgetary support. “

Said Mutharika: “Our situation was compounded with unprecedented floods, drought and hunger for two continuous years. But we have prevailed in our difficulties. “

Meanwhile, the President has called upon all Malawians with ideas that can help to change and improve the economy of the country to forward their ideas to government.

“To all Malawians listening to me now, if you have any alternatives that can help us improve, I invite you to submit your ideas to me through the Chief Secretary to the government, upon receive of your suggessions I will organise a platform to discuss these,” he said.

Mutharika said the challenges the nation face are not insurmountable.

“Together, with unity of purpose, we can overcome them. Challenges must never be the source of fear. Challenges must be the inspiration of our courage. It is in this spirit that Government, with the support of its partners, has continued to work tirelessly to address the challenges,” he said.

But critics say the address did not address critical issues.

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