By Burnett Munthali-February 15, 2025
A legacy of lies
When President Lazarus Chakwera delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 14, 2025, he had the opportunity to speak truthfully about Malawi’s progress and its numerous challenges. Instead, what the nation was subjected to was a disgraceful spectacle of misinformation, a thinly veiled attempt to reframe failure as success. In a carefully crafted speech, the President painted a picture of a country progressing at an unprecedented pace, but upon closer inspection, that picture crumbles under the weight of blatant falsehoods. This was not an oversight—it was an intentional, calculated attempt to mislead the Malawian people and Parliament, to present a fabricated narrative in the face of undeniable reality.
The lies in the SONA were not mere exaggerations, nor were they the result of a few poorly chosen words. They were part of a larger, more sinister attempt to cover up an administration that has consistently failed to deliver on its promises. In many ways, the President’s speech is a reflection of the broader failures of his government—deepening corruption, rising poverty, and the deterioration of public trust. But no issue captures this betrayal more than the list of supposed achievements that were paraded as accomplishments during the address.
Dismantling the fiction: A detailed examination of false claims
1) Likoma: The empty promise of police houses
President Chakwera claimed that police houses were built in Likoma. However, those familiar with the district know that no such construction has occurred. The lack of infrastructure development in Likoma has long been an issue, and to falsely claim progress in this area is nothing short of an insult to the people who live there.
2) Phalombe: The imaginary hospital staff quarters
Similarly, the President boasted of newly built hospital staff quarters in Phalombe. This claim is another fabrication. There has been no such construction, and medical personnel continue to work in substandard conditions. The people of Phalombe, as well as the healthcare workers who serve them, deserve better than this hollow rhetoric.
3) Nsanje: The phantom security officer housing
The President’s speech included an outlandish claim about the construction of 28 security officers’ houses in Nsanje. In truth, not a single new housing unit has been built for the security forces in this district. This is a ghost story spun to placate those in attendance at Parliament and the public, but it does nothing to address the real needs of the people.
4) Thyolo and Phalombe: No new police houses
The claim that new police houses were built in Thyolo and Phalombe is also untrue. In fact, the situation for law enforcement in these districts is dire, with officers forced to operate out of dilapidated buildings or even work without proper housing. The failure to fulfill these promises shows an alarming disconnect between the President’s words and the lived realities of Malawians.
5) Mzimba: The nonexistent Chizani Health Centre
Perhaps the most brazen of all the claims was the supposed completion of the Chizani Health Centre in Mzimba. This so-called facility does not exist. Yet, it was presented as a shining example of the government’s efforts to improve healthcare access. This is not just incompetence—it is fraud. To invent a health centre for political gain is a slap in the face to every Malawian who has ever struggled to access basic medical services. 6.) Kamphenda: The imaginary health centre
Similarly, the Kamphenda Health Centre was touted as a success. However, much like Chizani, it is another fictional creation. To raise a nonexistent health centre in a public address is not only misleading—it is a breach of trust.
7) Nyika Road: The great deception of infrastructure development
On the matter of road construction, the President claimed that 18 kilometers of the Nyika Road had been completed. In reality, only 1 kilometer of road has been constructed. This glaring discrepancy highlights the gap between the government’s claims and the people’s experience. When roads remain impassable and promises remain unfulfilled, the President’s rhetoric becomes a cruel joke.
8) NEEF loans: The inflation of disbursement figures
The President boasted that MK600 million had been disbursed to the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) loans. In truth, only MK 150 million has been made available. This inflated figure speaks volumes about the government’s willingness to mislead the public and its inability to deliver on its promises. Small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs have been left in the lurch, and the supposed “boost” to the economy is nothing but smoke and mirrors.
9) Mangochi Central
Namiyasi Health Centre: A ghost in the President’s speech
Finally, the Mangochi Central Namiyasi Health Centre was presented as another success. However, no such health centre exists on the ground. This is another example of the President fabricating achievements that are entirely absent from the real world.
The question that must now be asked is: who is responsible for these fabrications? Was it the President who knowingly delivered these lies, or were his advisors the culprits? Either way, the buck stops with Chakwera. As the head of state, it is his duty to ensure that the information presented to Parliament and the public is accurate and truthful. The failure to do so is a direct breach of his responsibilities.
The ministers and officials involved in drafting this speech should not be allowed to go unpunished. An independent investigation into the creation of this fraudulent SONA is essential to uncover who authored these lies and why they were allowed to be presented to the public.
This speech was not merely a failure of governance—it was a betrayal of the Malawian people. To fabricate success at a time when the country is suffering from deep economic and social challenges is an insult to every citizen who continues to struggle in the face of these hardships. The people of Malawi deserve better than empty promises and hollow speeches—they deserve leaders who will confront the truth, acknowledge their failures, and work to create real change.
President Chakwera’s legacy is now at stake. If he continues to peddle lies and mislead the nation, his time in office will be remembered not for the successes he claimed but for the scandals, the corruption, and the failures that he chose to ignore.
The time for rhetoric is over. The time for real action has come. The Malawian people are tired of being lied to. They deserve leadership that is accountable, honest, and committed to improving their lives. Anything less is an affront to the very principles of democracy.
As a nation, we must not allow these lies to go unchallenged. Parliament must reject this State of the Nation Address and demand a new, truthful account of Malawi’s state. The President must return to this House, within 14 days, to correct the false claims made in his address.
The people of Malawi are watching. They are tired of the deceit. It is time for their leaders to either step up or step down. The truth must prevail.
