By Vincent Gunde
Times Group reporter Leah Malekano, has suggested that officers working at the State House and those occupying houses at the State House must leave a week before the elections and after winning, they should go back saying this perhaps can protect public property.
Malekano says she feel sorry for her beloved country noting with a grave concern that Malawians have been changing governments and she has never heard of such damage at the State House, questioning what kind of behavior is this?
“This is very bad, very sad, mudzapitakonso koma? Questioned Malekano.
There have been reports that State House in Lilongwe has been left in a state of serious disrepair and neglect describing State House as being a State of severe neglect with vandalized facilities, missing equipment, broken fixtures, filth and rubbish scattered across the grounds in a deliberate damage.
Writing in an open letter to MISA Chairperson Golden Matonga, MCP Member of Parliament and the party’s Director of Youth Baba Steven Malondera, says images and reports that State House has been left in a state of serious disrepair and neglect have understandably stirred emotions and public outrage.
Malondera says when such stories like this emerge- stories that touch the pride, dignity, and image of the nation, it is crucial that the public receives the full, balanced, and verified account appealing and demanding MISA Malawi to mobilize a coalition of different media houses to conduct an independent and collective tour of the entire State House premises within the next 48 hours.
He says members of press must be let to walk through every section of the State House, observe freely, and report to Malawians what is truly there in line with access to information bill he was involved in passing in Parliament.
The MCP Youth Director has urged the media to help in investigating and exposing any individuals found to have been responsible for acts of vandalism or theft at State House to face the long arm of the law in their capacity.
“The truth is not fully served by blame but by accountability, let those who were occupying these houses remain accountable not any other institution they work for,” reads the open letter in part.
Malondera says the country is at a delicate time when misinformation can easily fuel division, urging journalists and editors to rise above political noise and serve the nation with integrity.
A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has urged former President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to address the nation on what exactly happened soon after he announced to the nation that he has honorably accepted the defeat to Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.
Kamphangala said ever since vandalism and bad images reports from State House have been reaching the general public, there has been no word from former President Chakwera speaking for itself that he owes Malawians an explanation.
