President Lazarus Chakwera has defended his recent foreign trips, stating that they were necessary to solicit support from international partners to address Malawi’s food insecurity challenges.
Speaking at a press briefing at Kamuzu Palace on Wednesday in Lilongwe, President Chakwera explained that his trips to nine countries were aimed at securing funding and food aid to alleviate the suffering of Malawians affected by hunger.
Malawi is currently facing a severe food insecurity crisis, with an estimated 5.7 million people in need of food assistance. The crisis is attributed to a combination of factors, including drought, floods, and economic instability.
The government has been working to address the crisis, but the situation remains dire.
Chakwera appealed to the international community to provide support to Malawi in its time of need.
He expressed gratitude to countries and organizations that have already provided assistance, saying “I say thank you”.
The President emphasized that Malawi is committed to finding long-term solutions to its food insecurity challenges, but urgent support is needed to address the current crisis.
Speaking in an interview, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives-CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa has since asked President to rise above party politics and give tangible evidence on the economic gains from his trips.
Namiwa thinks Chakwera and his administration continue to show no remorse for the deliberate pain they are inflicting on the citizenry.
“It is deeply regrettable that the current administration has become a sure threat of the very same people it was supposed to serve and protect.
“Malawians, we are left alone (tili tokha) and the earlier we realize this and do the needful, the better for us and generations to come,” says Namiwa.
Reacting to the same, governance expert Wonderful Mkhutche attributes the poor economy to the presidential trips.
“These drain a lot of resources from the country, especially forex, which is needed for imports. The President has to think critically over this. It is possible to run the country without some of the travels that have taken place,” says Mkhutche.
Mkhutche argues the talk about resuscitating the ailing economy will remain a far-fetched dream if the president fails to lead by example.
He says where possible, the president should be delegating certain duties so that he focuses on issues on his desk.
“Taking it from his word, the local travels are sanctioned. But still, he needs to also be mindful of the costs of such travels,” argues Mkhutche.
