The People’s Development Party (PDP) has called on President Lazarus Chakwera to address the ongoing fuel crisis and speak directly to Malawians about the issue.
The People’s Development Party (PDP)President Kondwani Nankhumwa appealed during a media briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday.
He accused the President of being indifferent to the crisis, citing his frequent trips abroad while Malawians struggle to access fuel.
“A good leader is seen in times of trouble, but our President seems not to be moved. We want him to rise to the occasion and address this situation,” said Nankhumwa.
He noted that the crisis has disrupted many sectors of life in Malawi, with black-market fuel now being sold at K10,000 per liter.
Nankhumwa also demanded the resignation of Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola and an apology from the Information Minister for allegedly misleading Malawians about fuel updates weeks ago.
Nankhumwa also took advantage of the briefing to call for the establishment of an inclusive task force comprising the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), the National Registration Bureau, all political parties, and other stakeholders to resolve voter registration grievances.
He further urged MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja to step down for the sake of her integrity, arguing that many Malawians have lost confidence in her leadership.
“What I am saying is that, as we sometimes see in the judiciary, when judges anticipate a conflict of interest, they excuse themselves from the case. We believe the MEC Chairperson should consider doing the same,” Nankhumwa stated.
Previously, MEC clarified that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is responsible for selecting judges for the MEC Chairperson position and suggested that concerns regarding the Chairperson’s role should be directed to the JSC.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola has announced that essential foreign exchange has been secured for immediate fuel procurement and that multiple fuel vessels are being processed for offloading at the country’s ports of entry.
