Opposition gives govt six-month ultimatum to address challenges facing Malawi

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been urged by an opposition block to address challenges facing the country before they complicate further.

Chakwera: Malawians will decide

Leader of opposition Lazarous Chakwera, who is president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), addressed a news conference in Blantyre on Tuesday with leaders of other political parties, who gave government a deadline of six to 24 months to address the 12 challenges they outlines.

A communiqué has been signed by six opposition political party leaders who included Chakwera, People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) leader Mark Katsonga-Phiri, New Labour Party leader Sam Mpasu, United Independence Party member Edwin Banda, Newton Kambala of United Transformation Party and Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (Mafunde) president George Nnesa. Also signatory to the communiqué is lawyer Bazuka Mhango.

The opposition leaders have said failure for government to address the challenges including improving the ailing economy, they will whip up Malawians to decide their future.

Among the recommendations, the leaders want DPP-led government to sort out power and water problems, pay out all private sector arrears within 12 months, sack incompetent Cabinet ministers, clean up the image of a corrupt nation by taking decisive and speedy action on all corruption cases, finish all unfinished roads within six months, curb domestic and foreign borrowing and ban imports of substandard products.

Chakwera said Malawi industrial sector is being affected by high transportation and finance costs, among other negative aspects, saying there is clear manifestation of “an economy on its knees.”

The opposition leader faulted government’s high domestic and foreign borrowing and inability to control waste and theft and corruption in public institutions.

“No one says it, and no one would admit it but the only way to get any public servant to do anything speedily is to give unsolicited tip in advance,” said Chakwera.

“The cancer of corruption has destroyed all our institutions,” he added.

Chakwera said Malawi government should live up to its slogan of creating an economy that is predominantly producing rather than consuming and that is predominantly exporting than importing.
“All it is doing now is the exact opposite,” noted Chakwera.

Adding his voice, Mafunde president Nnesa said President Mutharika is running an incompetent administration as he is working with inept Ministers who are failing him, citing Transport Minister Jappie Mhango as an example as a number of roads remain unfinished.
Katsonga said if government fails to address the challenges, “Malawians themselves will decide on what to do.”

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Tenzi Mzungu
Tenzi Mzungu
6 years ago

Why can’t u just wait for 2019 for Malawians to decide their future? Why are you in a hurry? Again can you suggest solutions to the problems you have mentioned? Is Samu Mpasu clean? Did you not serve in jail? Are Malawians sensible pple ?why are you busy pointing fingers at others you ex convict?

Jamax
Jamax
6 years ago

Please a Chakwera learn to give credit were it is due APM akuyesetsa kusintha zinthu ….. inu nanga bwanji munasiya kutumikila???? zoona mumamva bwino pomwe munasiya maitanidwe anu omumutumikila YEHOVA???? taonani lero mwasiya kunena zoona all what you are talking are lies, you could have been preaching the good gospel to the masses, let me tell you dziko ili silidzachilitsika until CHRIST comes …… therefore start telling people about CHRIST and Malawi will change.

Maunits
Maunits
6 years ago

No future in DPP Completely block. Goodall is too old that man why Malawi?

Psyuta
Psyuta
6 years ago

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk !!! Kape uyu asatitopese.

santana
santana
6 years ago

Opposition block? Apart from MCP, how many supporters combined do the other parties have? So Chakwera can be very proud that he is leading the opposition block talking about these briefcase parties? Ukulu umafunikadi eti?

Geof
Geof
6 years ago

kkkkkkk they have nothing to do no sense

Bill
Bill
6 years ago

Useless opposition. How much time or extensions do you continue to give the govt?

drakes
drakes
6 years ago

DPP has tried its best to improve the economy from 2014, within their capacity they have tried to improve the economy from Cash gate destroyed country to a stable economy in 2017. The main failure of the DPP is on Transport sector. They need to improve and look for investors on our Transport sector, we need a vibrant Rail System we need to completely abandon using Road for import and exports, this is the main reason the cost of living in Malawi is very expensive. Time and time again Malawians have cried for the Rehabilitation of our Limbe to Beira… Read more »

Sam Chipala
Sam Chipala
6 years ago

There is nothing new in the demands and there is really nothing like a demand here. Were these so called opposition leaders coming up with these so called demands while drunk???

Chambe
Chambe
6 years ago

All issues listed are really genuine and are doable within the given period. This is an opportunity to the government and can be issues for campaign to bring MCP in government in 2019.I really get concerned that we are importing lots of products that we could produce ourselves or improve quality on those that we produce. I became so shocked to see imported honey, bananas, mangoes, milk, chicken, cotton puffs etc in many of our shops. How silly we are to kill our production base; wasting our forex! ESCOM, Water boards, City Councils. District Councils etc a re full with… Read more »

achalume
achalume
6 years ago
Reply to  Chambe

This opposition is insane. Is there anything new?

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