By IOMMIE CHIWALO
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has expressed dissatisfaction with current style of leadership by President Lazarus Chakwera saying is just a recipe for prevailing social and economic hardships facing Malawians.
In a statement made available to this publication and signed by CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, says Malawians were really sold a dummy on June 23, 2020 in the court sanctioned Fresh Presidential Elections (PPE).
Namiwa has since given Chakwera 14 days to address the issues raised or else CDEDI will be prompted to collect signatures to force the Speaker of parliament Hon. Gotani Hara to call for an emergency meeting of parliament in a bid to save the country from complete destruction.
“Today, Malawians can now agree with what we stated in the 2020 statement that the country is now heading for wasted five years since what started as President Chakwera’s indecisiveness has culminated into full-blown poor leadership style,” Namiwa said.
The CDEDI Boss has since appealed to the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) to immediately call for an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting to rescue the country from further damage, which will be beyond redemption.
“Should the situation remain unchecked, then millions of lives of vulnerable and marginalized citizens will be lost due to starvation,” he said.
Namiwa says in two years into President Chakwera’s regime, by all measure of patience, Malawians have become tired of extended electricity load-shedding, dry fuel pumps and unavailability of foreign exchange.
“It is disheartening to note that as the trio of electricity, fuel and forex woes is forcing the economy to its knees, President Chakwera and his lieutenants are busy churning out flimsy excuses in a futile attempt to cover up their cluelessness,” he said.
He has, therefore, challenged Chakwera to come up with tangible solutions complete with a clear time frame to the aforementioned challenges facing Malawians, or accept that he has failed Malawians and consequently step down.
On emerging issues Namiwa has also questioned on maize availability and mists surrounding Agriculture Development and Marketing Cooperation (ADMARC) warning that any carelessness in handling the maize crisis which is the staple food in Malawi, is a recipe for disaster.
“It is disturbing to note that despite all the assurances of the grain’s availability, the situation on the ground is dire as evidenced by the soaring prices for the crop, months away from the lean period,” he said.
As such, Chakwera through minister of Agriculture has been asked to come out very clearly on the status of the availability of fertilizer in the country, bearing in mind the forex shortage.
“Let there be an explanation on whether government will proceed with AIP or not. If yes, what will be the prices for the farm inputs? What is the number of the targeted beneficiaries,” queries Namiwa.
He has also questioned rationale behind imminent 3000 job losses at ADMARC saying it is against the Tonse Alliance philosophy of creating one million jobs saying ADMARC has proven to be a tried and tested tool in making both maize and fertilizer accessible to Malawians.
“Therefore, it is a no brainer to play hide and seek with this entity’s own existence at this critical moment. CDEDI’s unsolicited advice to President Chakwera is that he should take his hands off ADMARC. Needless to remind him that he promised Malawians 1 million jobs, therefore, his government has no moral ground to let anyone lose their job at ADMARC unless he should accept that he lied to Malawians,”.
Recently Human Rights Defenders Coalition also called for stepping aside of President Chakwera citing persistent blackouts, fuel and forex shortages and indecisive leadership as among some reasons for justifying their call.
Meanwhile PAC has said that will see to it on the calls for having all stakeholders meeting.
