Malawi Opposition Rubbishes Chakwera’s SONA

…calls it “farce”

Opposition political parties in Parliament have described President Lazarus Chakwera’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) as “gross miscarriage of economic and social justice” to the people of Malawi.

The sentiments were jointly made by leader of opposition Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa and United Democratic Front (UDF) leader in Parliament Ned Phoya.

Addressing the media at New Parliament Building in Lilongwe, the two leaders said Chakwera’s speech has no hope in every sector of the economy calling it a speech characterized by a myriad of failures.

Nankhumwa said: “For how long has been coming to Parliament telling the nation that his government is fixing the so-called broken systems and yet himself is a “distinguished broken system.”

He further said he hoped that the President would tackle the issue of persistent blackouts that continue to affect the economy at house and national levels but nothing worth noting came out from the speech

“Chakwera is busy blaming others for the ACB Director’s failures to execute her work professionally, and yet himself is part of the scheme of disrupting the smooth running of the Agency as recently as last week he suspended her.

He is playing with people’s minds and we will not accept his rhetoric anymore,” said Nankhumwa, who is also DPP Vice President for the South.

On the issue of DPP Member of Parliament for Mulanje South-East Naomi Kilekwa, Nankhumwa said that the legislator was responding to threats manned by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) operatives from gallery that they would deal with all opposition MPs that are heckling their President.

Taking his turn, UDF Leader, Phoya said it sad that opposition MPs were subjected to intimidation and threats from MCP mafias and the ‘stupidity’ has to end if Parliament shall continue to deliberate soberly.

“We have a lot of issues to deliberate in this chamber like cholera, AIP, economy among others and for someone to send his boys to threaten us, is very disturbing and retrogressive,” said Phoya

Speaking at the state opening of the 50th session of Parliament, president Chakwera elaborated on progress made by his administration in areas of Finance, Energy, Reforms, Security, Corruption, Health, Education, Agriculture, Water and Sanitation, Justice, Tourism, and Transport and public works.

The Malawian leader Chakwera admitted that Malawi’s economy is suffering as the inflation rate is not encouraging and the GDP is not expected to recover in the year 2023.

He attributed the economic suffering to Malawi’s dependence on strategic foreign imports from countries that have been severely disrupted by war, Covid-19 and tight monetary policies.

However, the President said his administration has made some progress on actions and services to transform the economy and address the living conditions and poverty of many Malawians.

The SONA was delivered under the theme: “Delivering economic transformation and governance reform through sacrificial action and service excellence.”