What Chakwera said behind the good diction is ‘dishonest and mistimed’

Leader of opposition in Parliament, hangs somewhere between a man who doesn’t know and who pretends to know; this in relation to his response on Monday to President Peter Mutharika’s statement at the opening of the 46th session of Parliament last Friday.

President Mutharika greets opposition chief Chakwera
President Mutharika greets opposition chief Chakwera

Chakwera speeches lean more towards the packaging and presentation more that on the content and contextual substance.

Since he attained the leader of opposition role after last year’s elections, the pastor-cum-politician has been blinded by political affiliations, a thing that has narrowed his scope on national matters.

So, it does not surprise when his statements are circumscribed in a tone like that on the political podium during his rallies.

Among his many misfirings, Chakwera in his response attacked government for what he calls “slow execution of justice in Cashgate cases and the sale of Malawi Savings Bank”.

By now, any sober-minded observer of national affairs should be able to see the progress of Cashgate cases which have reaped several convictions and guilty pleas from the accused.

If Chakwera has been missing these developments on Cashgate cases, it then vindicates our earlier fears that his comments emanate from a platform of ignorance or disinterest to embrace the truth.

On the Malawi Savings Bank sale, Chakwera is simply outdated and has no basis whatsoever to question the rationale of a sale that was duly sanctioned by local economic experts, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and Parliament among other stakeholders.

Noticeably, the MCP leader’s greatest undoing is his novice stature on administrative issues at state level.

As such he fails to understand how policy-making and execution is carried out within the apparatus of the state.

Malawians can forgive him since he only has some experience of running a small church, but his slowness in learning the dynamics of state system is becoming more worrying by day.

The way he begs for the President to touch every tid-bit of affairs in Parliamentary statements leaves many grey areas to understand.

Malawi, as any country, has many problems that might not be enough to be mentioned within any statement by any government official.

Based on that premise, Chakwera should be the first to know that a head of state is a corporate leader who gives an overview in all sectors of public affairs.

It therefore defeats conventional wisdom to expect the President to start explaining all policy procedures that for example brought about the changes in Standard 8 and Form 2 exams.

The MCP leader is free to go to Capital Hill and do his own research on how these policies were pushed through but he should not expect the President to cover for his (Chakwera’s) laziness to research or his denial to accept administrative realities.

Some of the answers Chakwera is seeking are better sought from cabinet ministers of Principal Secretaries not the President himself.

Another anomaly in his presentation is the mistiming of events just to gain political mileage.

When President Mutharika spoke last week, he touched on crucial aspects such as food and drug shortage in the country.

He then ably explained how government has put measures to avert hunger and how it is expediting the public reforms to ensure proper administration and dispensation of drugs in all health facilities.

At the back of that clear strategy by government, Chakwera comes with his speech and starts talking about electoral reforms while offering threats that his party will take stern action if nothing is done in the next twelve months.

Why should the Leader of Opposition worry with 2019 elections when the country is supposed to discuss and address the impending hunger first?

Don’t we have three more years before we go to the polls again? Why then can’t we first focus on areas of priority in serving Malawians?

For knowledge sake, Chawera needs to be taught that Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is currently carrying out reforms starting with demarcation of constituencies.

Following this will be other administrative reforms at the electoral body before things get to legislative stage.

Furthermore, Chakwera should appreciate that even the Public Affairs Committee and other civil society organizations are already at an advanced stage in their proposals towards efficient electoral processes.

It against this background of reforms that the MCP leader should just wait up until the reform process gets to the legislative stage through all the stakeholders involved.

No need to panic about 2019 when there are other crucial and relevant issues at hand.

To have a whole Leader of Opposition speaking without offering alternative solutions is in itself a shame.

It is high time Chakwera goes back to the drawing board and speak the language of Malawians by proposing what he or his party think should be done to avert some national problems.

If all he can do it talk just to fill his parliamentary schedule then we are better off without a Leader of Opposition as a nation.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
85 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Issa Kabudula
Issa Kabudula
8 years ago

The analyst in chief; has really analysed the MCP and its leadership – very clear and to the point, if the supporters of was have the idea of Malawi problems and take this advise to Mr Chakwera, he must look back and sit down, think of strategies of how to upkift the country and the people of Malawi. His is experience based on the church theology and how he can generate funds from within and without in bringing development. Osaitana bwanji pope Francis? Yet the president has called the pope and Mr Chakwera will crisis this development out of envy… Read more »

Chikwawa South
Chikwawa South
8 years ago

If this is how you thinks, then yourself either doesnt know politics or are blinded by incumbency. The cashgate that has scared donors away is not the cashgate your government is prosecuting, cant you see? Presidency is by far different from corporate management. How many pple in your village understood or related to what APM was saying. Did he give the state(condition) of the Nation address. Is it true to say donor dispensation is past? Remember Chakwera was only responding, and you respond accordingly. He was responding to the folly and incapacity that he/we perceived. By the way, who is… Read more »

kifuk says
8 years ago

indeed reforms z hurting us

bornface mwansambo
bornface mwansambo
8 years ago

This guy has been bought and this is completely nonsense.

Defray
Defray
8 years ago

Firstly, you must be adherant of DPP. On cashgate,wy do say there’s progress. We all knw that most of the dpp executive are also part of cashgate,yet only PP and other small ordinally cashgate are cornered. After 3yrs of cashgate blast,how many pipo have been convicted? How much money has been recovered?? You can’t see that cashgate probe is politically driven,and that’s wy donors can’t come back. They know this. Stupid observer. And do you knw that most of the so called “reforms” are hurting us?? And there wl disaster in the near future…Watch!

Julius
Julius
8 years ago

Leafing through the whole article, one may easily & ably detect the strong sense of hatred this author has towards Chakwera such that He doesnt even see some sensible stuf He (Chakwera) depicted in the speech. Because of the hatred I am conviced that this author pessimistically waited 4 the opp president to deliver the speech for him to have some negatives to write about. Be professional dear

Youngman
Youngman
8 years ago

Zinyozanani, ndiye chitukuko kuno ku malawi

Glad
Glad
8 years ago

It seems the author didn’t read the whole speech. The leader of opposition did indicate in the speech the possible alternatives by emphasizing on private sector development, irrigation and diversification. What other alternatives would you want from the opposition reader????? I may also advice u to go back to ur drawing board….

DONE
8 years ago

This is not an analysis, it’s what we call Public Relations. Mr/Madam Analyst-in-Chief, please be objective. Much as I may concur with you but there were some good points and criticism from Chakwera’s remarks. But you talk as if everything he said was trash. You need to wake up yourself and go back to the drawing board because Malawians get information from different sources not only from Nyasa. By the way, who paid you. Uzafa infa yowawa.

Kenman
Kenman
8 years ago

Ma supporter a MCP mumandidabwitsa kwambiri. Mukungotukwana, but without offering any alternative solutions!This is our country and that kind of politics will take us no where.

Read previous post:
English word spelling bee competition kicks off in Malawi schools

Season 4 of the National Spell Master Spelling competition came to life on Sunday 8th November, 2015 at St Patrick’s...

Close