Malawi: Malawi Police Service Fighting Corruption within its ranks (14.04.2022)

Malawi: Chakwera’s campaigning while inspecting corn fields…

The Reverend and the Head of State, His Excellency, President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Who has now ruled since June 2020 and should have been a popular fellow after winning the previous election. His Tonse Alliance should at this point in time go from strength to strength.

However, Chakwera has not only shown that his as scrupulous, as his predecessor, which he was supposed to be different from. Lazarus has appointed family and close associates. He even tried to hire the lawyers, who helped him win the election petition. Which made it possible to have a second round and win over the “Tipp-Ex” President. Therefore, the start of the President was hectic and it was really self-inflicted with the choices of cabinet members and who surrounded the Presidency.

It has not helped that the same ills of the previous administration is haunting him. The same sort of shady insider-trading business-men are infusing doubts about government contracts and tenders. It is just the easy access and non transparent acts of which the state is even making worse by not funding the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). They are just not caring and reckless about.

That’s why after being a vagabond and travelling across the world to functions, conferences and holding talks with heads of state. The President has been so busy doing this. Even during the world-wide pandemic. He and his entourage travelled to across the continent to participate in digital conferences, instead of staying home.

So, it is really unique that he travels across the Republic to inspect corn-fields and farms. While inviting chiefs, traditional leaders, Members of Parliament, Representatives of Special Interests Groups, Directors, Heads of Sectors and District Executive Committee members to participate in the rallies and inspections. It is not enough that he looks at maize, corn and the fields of the farms of Malawi. No, he needs everyone with a pulse and a title to show up and acknowledge the crops in question.

If Chakwera thinks this is smart or a genius move. It is not… he has a Ministry of Agriculture Lowe and Permanent Secretary Maweru who is designated to work out the issues and help the farmers. This is just showing his indifference to the role as a Head of State and trying to enforce his will on minor details.

Chakwera should be busy in Lilongwe at the Kamuzu Palace. Where he could redefine and find measures with the Ministers and bureaucrats on the matters. The Republic has been hit with Maize-Scandals in the past and other commodities, which has hit the previous administration hard. If it was charcoal or otherwise. That’s why Chakwera should ensure the bodies of trade, of seeds and the Ministry to be up to scratch. Instead of just browsing through fields and having photo-ops with the produce. That is neither smart or brilliant.

The President isn’t a guy for publicity stunts, his not a rapper or someone who has to sell controversy. His a man who is supposed to govern. Holding rallies after looking at produce only make him look more fragile and lost of purpose. That he don’t know how to handle the role of the Presidency and rather go back to the roots of his rise as a politician. Since, his holding rallies in the middle of the term and offering new promises in the districts. It is doing no difference and neither is this fulfilling his actual duty as the Head of State.

His only visiting, looking at the fields and holding rallies. Not doing anything substantial or of importance. The man could have just been in Geneva or Brussels begging for donor money. That would have been more impactful. Than saying “Oh that maize field looks healthy” and “Oh gee, the water sources needs to fixed and get a better solution to the possible climate change”. You go figure, right?

He is not just some Joe Blow, but actual leader of men now. Chakwera should act accordingly, but don’t expect it. He rather do this and waste his time in office. Because, he don’t know better and it shows. Peace.

Malawi Congress Party: Position of the Malawi Congress Party on the Malawi Police Service Recruitment Saga (12.04.2022)

Malawi: Section 12 – Condemnation of Threats against Press Freedom (06.04.2022)

Opinion: Chakwera outplayed his whole potential

But we might just get away with it

Religion’s in your lips

Even if it’s a false god

We’d still worship

We might just get away with it

The altar is my hips

Even if it’s a false god” Taylor Swift – ‘False God’ (2019).

Who knew this could go so badly so fast? We knew things could become worse when we saw the first cabinet and the direct nepotism in the Tonse Alliance. President Lazarus Chakwera has only been the President since June 2020, but it feels like ages. A year in politics can feel like a decade and for Chakwera that is all but true.

The Tonse Alliance and Chakwera don’t have the public behind it. Neither is it showing any signs of keeping up with pledges and promises. It was easily for Chakwera to be blazing and blatant disregarding bad practices of the previous government in opposition. However, now as the Head of State and governing party life has turned out sour quickly.

Chakwera isn’t living up to his own hype. Neither is allies. They are all disappointing. That’s why the citizens and activists are on the streets. Petition the government and seeing the failure. The discontent is growing and brewing inequalities isn’t making things better. The only change was the governing party, but the acts are the same. The same corruption, inept governing and nepotism.

Chakwera isn’t practising what he preaches. He has spoken so clearly and evidently against these practices, but in office his letting all of it go. There only some posturing and some publicity stunts. However, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) isn’t financially supported and neither the pending cases of probes into grand corruption. It is put on the back-burner, because these scandals would hit the government. Just like the scandals under the previous administration did.

That’s what is shockingly obvious, that reverend and former preacher isn’t living up to his preaching. His been talking so gallantly and with hubris how he would be different. How his government would be honest and supreme. The Chakwera reign would differ from the predecessor. However, we are not seeing that and neither is anyone else. It is carbon copy with another brother at the top.

Chakwera is just acting like the previous ones did. His not challenging or reforming. The President is busy at conferences and at meetings with dignitaries. While his not governing in any sort of new way. No, he could have been swapped with the previous one and nothing would have seen differently.

No, in Lilongwe and Blantyre. The same problems is evident. The state isn’t fixing or adjusting to 2022. No, it is just finding ways of eating of the government plate and calling it a day. That’s how things are looking and it’s no good.

Chakwera wasn’t an honest candidate, but just another snake-oil salesman. Promising salvation and hope, but only delivering false gods. Peace.

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Malawi: Human Rights Defenders Coalition – State House should take action against Corrupt Employees (16.02.2022)

Malawi: State House – Internal Memo – Warning Against inappropriate Conduct (15.02.2022)

Malawi: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) – Press Statement on Shadow Cabinet (13.02.2022)

Malawi: Malawi Human Rights Commission – Statement on the Composition of the Cabinet (28.01.2022)