By Burnett Munthali
President Lazarus Chakwera’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) was meant to provide a factual account of his administration’s progress and challenges. Instead, it turned into a stage for blatant lies, deception, and self-glorification at the expense of the truth. Among the most appalling falsehoods was his claim that his government constructed the Chapananga Clinic in Chikwawa—a facility built entirely by the Community Forum Organisation (COFO) with funding from World Connect.
This shameless attempt to hijack credit for an independent project is not just a sign of desperation but a glaring indication of Chakwera’s failing leadership. A president who has to fabricate achievements to appear competent is a president who has lost his grip on reality.
COFO’s Executive Director, Joshua Malunga, was quick to call out Chakwera’s dishonesty. According to Malunga, the clinic was completed in 2022 and handed over to the government only for operational purposes. At no point did the Chakwera administration play a role in financing or constructing it. The fact that the president had the audacity to claim otherwise in Parliament is a disgraceful act of political opportunism.
“We worked tirelessly to secure funding and oversee the construction of this clinic because we understand the healthcare challenges faced by the people of Chapananga,” Malunga stated. “It is disheartening to hear the president taking credit for something that was solely initiated and implemented by COFO with support from World Connect.”
This level of dishonesty is unacceptable. It is a direct insult to the organizations and individuals who dedicate their efforts to improving Malawi without expecting political recognition. It also raises a critical question: If Chakwera is lying about a clinic, what else is he lying about?
Chakwera’s SONA was not just misleading—it was a calculated attempt to manipulate the public. His speech was filled with exaggerated success stories, dubious statistics, and outright fabrications designed to deceive Malawians into believing that his administration is delivering results. But the reality tells a different story:
The economy is in free fall. Inflation is skyrocketing, the cost of living is unbearable, and businesses are struggling. Yet, Chakwera conveniently ignored these facts.
Corruption is at an all-time high. Instead of tackling graft, the government is shielding politically connected individuals while ordinary Malawians suffer.
Infrastructure development is stagnant. Beyond the Chapananga lie, many of the president’s so-called projects are either repackaged donor-funded initiatives or remain incomplete due to mismanagement.
Public services are deteriorating. Hospitals lack basic medicines, schools are understaffed, and local councils are underfunded.
Chakwera’s speech may have been applauded by his loyalists in Parliament, but Malawians on the ground know the truth—his government has failed, and no amount of lies can change that.
The Chapananga scandal is not an isolated case. Time and time again, Chakwera has shown that he is willing to distort facts to maintain his grip on power.
He promised to end nepotism and tribalism in government appointments but has instead entrenched these practices.
He vowed to create a million jobs but has delivered mass unemployment.
He assured Malawians of economic recovery, yet the country remains trapped in a financial crisis.
The president’s inability to deliver has forced him into a cycle of deception—where lies replace results, and propaganda replaces progress. But Malawians are not blind. They can see through the falsehoods, and they are growing increasingly disillusioned.
It is time for President Chakwera to abandon his dishonest politics and face reality. Instead of stealing credit for other people’s work, he should focus on delivering tangible results. Instead of misleading the nation, he should admit his failures and change course.
If Chakwera continues down this path of deception, his legacy will not be one of transformation and progress—it will be one of betrayal and lost trust. Malawians deserve a leader who tells them the truth, not one who feeds them lies to cover up incompetence.
The Chapananga scandal should serve as a wake-up call. If a government cannot be trusted with something as simple as the truth, then it cannot be trusted to govern at all.
