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Nankhumwa Response To New Measures Instituted By President Chakwera To Combat Covid-19

RESPONSE BY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT TO THE NEW MEASURES INSTITUTED BY PRESIDENT LAZARUS CHAKWERATO COMBAT COVID-19

Fellow Malawians,

1) Firstly, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to all families who have lost their loved ones to Covid-19, a pandemic that is consistently proving to be a  deadly monster, which is inflicting untold suffering and pain on the entire humanity. May the souls of these departed sons and daughters of the soil rest in eternal peace.

2)  In such challenging times, it is imperative that we, Malawians, work together for a common purpose. In this regard, I humbly commend President Chakwera for coming up with new measures for combating the new wave of Covid-19 pandemic. It is the anticipation of the office of the Leader of the opposition and indeed the anticipation of all Malawians that the measures being effected will ably arrest the spread of this killer disease. In as much as the measures have taken long to be brought to light, we can still say better late than never. I call upon all Malawians to adhere to the measures so that together we have a healthier and prosperous Malawi

3) The health sector has been highly overwhelmed by the pandemic. I join all Malawians in paying homage to the great sons and daughters serving in the health services sector. Their sacrifices are unimaginable. They are waging a gallant fight at the battle front of covid-19 . They are facing death in the eye and they keep on, relentlessly, helping sick people in a bid to save lives. They have carried on their shoulders the ubunthu philosophy, which states that I am because you are. It is not for money that they are sacrificing their lives for. It is for humanity and their insatiable desire to make Malawi a healthier nation. We owe them great gratitude. May the Almighty God continue giving them wisdom, knowledge and strength to keep on serving their motherland to their level best.  

I hail all frontline staffers and attendant personnel who have passed on while serving our nation during this pandemic. Their deaths have not been in vain for we shall remember them as our great heroes and heroines.  They will remain our true soldiers who worked selflessly under very difficult circumstances and gave their all to save the country from this pandemic.

Fellow Malawians,

4)  These are troubled times because we are facing a much larger and invisible enemy. Our safe neighbourhoods are no longer safe and we cannot pretend that life is normal; in fact life may never return to normal.  But as a country, we have a larger duty to defend ourselves against this Covid-19.  Each one of us has an obligation regardless of our political, religious, tribal affiliation failing which posterity will judge us harshly for abdicating our patriotic duty as citizens.

5)  Having been entrusted with the mantle of being your Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, I would like to urge President Chakwera to dig much deeper and do more to help cushion the suffering of millions of Malawians in light of the rising wave of Covid-19 infections. On top of the newly announced measures, I  wish to urge the Government to  channel some resources from the K17.52 billion, that he has directed the Ministry of Finance to release, towards cautionary mechanisms such as cash transfers for the ultra poor to cushion them against the extreme economic impact of Covid-19. Economic impact of Covid-19 is disastrous. We have witnessed people losing jobs. Small and medium enterprises are beginning to fold. There is need to boost their economic vitality otherwise we risk sinking millions of our people into the mess of abject poverty. covid- 19 has the potential to throw millions into the jaws of poverty at the time when we are working hard to move out of the peripherals of being one of the least developed countries on earth. This is the time that Malawi Enterprise Development Fund (NEEF) has to open up and accord soft loans to more people in the country.

Fellow Malawians,

6) Obviously, there is no way that President Chakwera can give a blind eye to the intricate relationship between Covid -19 and economic development. It is a naked fact that business has slowed down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic so too is aggregate national economic growth. The private sector is, therefore, looking up to the government to bring about measures to inject relief in the operating environment and help it remain in business. The government can introduce tax holidays or attendant stimuli to suppliers of essential products and services in the private sector as a way of encouraging them to be in the value chain against Covid-19. The tourism industry is on deathbed and it needs the support of the government. Many other industries better be supported or we risk becoming perennial importers of everything upon the demise of our industries that have been instrumental in our bid to enhance import substitution. If we are not careful, we will never realize out long cherished dream of becoming a predominantly producing and exporting country

7)  Now is the time that we look at one of the essential commodities in trade and in this regard we refer to fuel. The Government must at all cost reduce the price of fuel. The slow economic growth due to Covid-19 has resulted in the increase in cost of living and as consumption declines so too does disposable incomes of our people. By reducing fuel prices, the cost of some services and products will ease thus in the end passing on the benefits to the common man on the street, to the labourers going to fetch piece works, to the officer riding a minibus and many others. Fuel is a great determinant in the increase or decrease in prices of goods and services in a country.

Fellow Malawians,

8) It is self-explanatory that this disease calls upon more hygiene. Let our Water Boards reduce the cost of water tariffs at least for three months so that the hygiene lives of our people is well catered for. We need to wash hands regularly and if the cost of accessing water remains as at present, we will be moving two steps forward and one step backwards.

9) I would also urge the president not to forsake the spread of the disease in our prisons. Let those with minor offenses be pardoned. However, they have to be empowered with proper knowledge and skills to necessitate them intergrate into the society and be of great value and even beacons of socio-economic development.

10) I humbly call upon the Government to consider scaling upwards the number of health services personnel. The current workforce at 1380 is on the lower side considering the scope of work needed to battle the virus in government hospitals across the country. The President must also double the allowances for our health workers as way of appreciating and inspiring them for the job well done.

Fellow Malawians,

11) The allocation of K100 million to Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) hospitals is on the lower side considering that these hospitals too play a vital role in this fight against the covid-19.  I, therefore, would like to ask the President to add more funds to these hospitals and other private hospitals that do not operate under CHAM but they are doing  tremendous donkey work to save this nation from covid-19.

12) May I also remind the President to take a look at some of the measures that the government of the former Head of State His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika came up with. In the measures, there are great elements that have to be enmeshed with the new measures. We need a holistic approach to make a difference. 
13) Let me also thank all Malawians here and in the Diaspora who have sacrificed the little they have to help fellow citizens who have been affected by this pandemic in cash and materials and even making donations to the hospitals in the country. You are true patriots. May the face of the Almighty God continue to shine on you and bless your hands.

14) In conclusion, I want to urge all Malawians to have hope for a new tomorrow and keep the faith that soon we will see the back of this pandemic. We must all abide by the new rules that have been put in place by the government, and also not forgetting observing  known measures  as advised by the medical experts such as wearing of masks; washing hands regularly; maintaining social distance and to only travel when necessary.

May the good Lord heal our Land.

HONOURABLE KONDWANI NANKHUMWA, MP
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT

19TH JANUARY, 2021

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