After telling President Lazarus Chakwera that his leadership was quickly shifting from bad to worse in 2023, the quasi-religious body Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has now said the general political atmosphere puts his political party on the exit stage unless something spectacular emerges.
The body chairperson Monsignor Patrick Thawale made the remarks when PAC leadership met Chakwera in Lilongwe on Monday.
“Even in your strongholds, the doubt on your winning is loud and clear. We hope that in the remaining months, you can always turn around this perception. The doubt is real. The failures are massive and obvious. We are calling upon you to act on issues of national importance before the public rises against you. Patience has limits.
“We are aware Your Excellency that after stating the above, your people will engage you to dismiss what we have raised. The question they ought to answer is whether after raising national issues with you on 28th November, 2023, service delivery and economy have improved.
“Although road construction is excellent, for us the standard of living has gone down; the perception that the regime is corrupt still stands; that most civil servants are frustrated remains a fact; and that fuel crisis continues is a reality. As regards your leadership, the observation is that action-oriented leadership has lacked.
“The general view is that there has been failed leadership tainted with hypocrisy. There are strong observations that by failing to act on officials allegedly involved in corrupt practices, your leadership may be benefitting from the civil service leadership and those Ministers named in such corrupt acts,” reads part of the statement
Further, PAC said the leadership’s inaction and indecisiveness on several revelations of alleged corrupt practices unearthed in the higher echelons of the current government have constructed a public view that erodes the integrity of the highest office.
“Your administration has demonstrated serious weaknesses on the alleged abuse of funds and corruption despite your assertions made during 2019 and 2020 campaign. We wish to recall that as a Man of God you exuded immense hope to take a strong stand against corrupt practices, as you had observed its negative impact.
“Indeed, the country’s socio-economic, financial, human, and political environment has been corruptly destroyed. Having assumed power in 2020, incidents bent on corrupt practices in the current administration have been rife in the areas of AIP, and fuel procurement.
“Your leadership continuously ignored several allegations of unwarranted acts of corruption and remained indecisive on such issues especially relating to your closest Ministers and government officials. The inaction and Indecisiveness in many fronts of government not only manifest lack of statecraft but also cluelessness on operations of state machinery.
“Resultantly, the inconsistent actions have characterized the form of administration, which is devoid of integrity and honesty. While the latter are cardinal in any successful administration, your leadership has consigned to the past most values stipulated in the MCP Manifesto. We wish to subscribe to MCPs manifesto assertions on taking tough stand on corrupt practices. However, we are inclined to take a view that hypocrisy has tainted the current leadership. Words have not matched your actions on issues of corruption and alleged abuse of funds in the administration,” he said
Thawale said the currently the standard of living in Malawi is disastrous as prices of basic commodities do not match the income Malawians.
“It is talk of the town on your failure to manage the economy. We note that you appointed the new Reserve Bank Governor this month. We welcome the move and would like request Your Excellency and your cabinet to give him the necessary support to manage the monetary policy.
“In this regard, Your Excellency may consider re-examining your cabinet and relevant departments to manage the fiscal policy more efficiently. There are negative observations on your number of international trips and those of your cabinet ministers so far travelled in your administration. Therefore, as the standard of living in country deteriorates, so too the narratives hold that there has been high public expenditure because of international and some local trips. We are aware that some trips are sponsored which the public may not fully appreciate.
“The fact, however, stands that international trips have created an impression that there has been a deliberate disregard on the welfare of Malawians. Although, we share the view that the world economy faces challenges, we believe you have not lived to public expectation as demonstrated by a voice of cry from the masses, rendering your austerity measures futile,” he said
