By Watipaso Mzungu- Contributor
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has expressed disappointment with President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s failure last evening to produce a comprehensive report on the MK6.2 billion Covid-19 funds suspected to have been looted in the government.
In one of his national addresses, Chakwera assured Malawians that he would be ready with a comprehensive report on the squandered resources within 30 days.
But two months down the line, the President – who has become best known to deliver earth-moving public speeches – has not produced the report, much to the vexation of inquisitive citizens.
This has prompted CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa to issue a statement, expressing his disappointment with the way Chakwera is handling the issue. He said Chakwera is acting as if nothing happened.
“This clearly shows that Dr. Chakwera is a very dishonest leader, and we cannot rule out his involvement in the misappropriation of the funds.
How about the expenditure report on the MK17.5 Billion Covid- funds? Is the President going to say anything on this?” he asks.
Namiwa has also condemned the politically-sponsoreÂd violence that ensued in Karonga where the supporters of the major Tonse Alliance partners, the UTM party and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), hacked each other in the run up to the by-elections on Tuesday, 30th March 2021.
He says CDEDI and all the peace-loving Malawians expected Chakwera to seize the opportunity in his address to the nation on Sunday night to condemn in the strongest terms these barbaric acts.
“On the contrary, the President has up to now remained mum on the matter, giving signals that he must have either given his blessings on these barbaric acts, or he is no longer in control, thereby leaving the country on auto-pilot.
If it is the latter, then Malawians should fasten their sit-belts in preparation for a disastrous crush landing ahead,” he says.
Namiwa has further criticized President Chakwera for his continuous use the H-5 as well as the Tonse Alliance manifestos interchangeably, a development, he says, is not only confusing, but very crooked.
“This dishonesty being displayed by the President on the implementation of the campaign manifesto has already planted some seeds of mistrust in a lot of Malawians, who have now become very frustrated because what they were sold prior to the June 23, 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections (FPE) by the Tonse Alliance partners, is definitely not what is being currently delivered.
Dishonesty leads to mistrust, and this will consequently lead to very serious repercussions on Dr. Chakwera’s administration, in not so a distant future,” states Namiwa.
