By Vincent Gunde
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) has described the devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha as the last nail to a coffin that Malawians should bless themselves for tougher times claiming that this devaluation has never happened before in the history of Malawi.
The CAMA has observed that many Malawians have been speaking against the high cost of living as going beyond the reach of the poor in Malawi saying “with the Kwacha devaluation from MK1,180.29 to MK1,700 to the US Dollar effective from midnight of 9th November, 2023 no Malawian will speak of the high cost of living”.
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The grouping claims that Malawi has reached this stage “because the country’s duty bearers do not want to listen to the voices of reason saying had it been they listened, the country could not reach where it has reached today”
CAMA’s Executive Director John Kapito, has blamed the duty bears including President Lazarus Chakwera for knowing nothing about the country’s economy saying what they know is bringing to the people untold sufferings.
Kapito said, “Malawians have been expecting to see change in their country in terms of the economy observing that the change they will be seeing in their daily life situations is mourning the dead as fuel will go up to MK2,400 per Litre, soap, and many other basic needs to go up too”.
The consumer activist however alleged that President Chakwera has travelled with over 100 people to Saudi Arabia claiming that all have taken money which after two weeks they will take to a black market selling it at MK2,500 per US Dollar.
He said, “It is very strange to note that the situation the country is sailing through of having no fuel starts immediately when the President has gone out of the country claiming that President Chakwera was aware of the Kwacha devaluation as the announcement was put on hold waiting after his departure”.
“What this government knows best is eating the money through the collection of unreasonable taxes from the country’s citizens,” said Kapito.
He has since advised the government to swallow its pride and that “This is the time to sit down with all Malawians to discuss the products for export as this will bring in the much-needed foreign exchange to reverse the trend but without this to happen, Malawi has reached the point of death”.
You were aware of all this Mr. Kapito why didn’t you confront this chakwela to stop his nonsense and why does he always travel with huge number of people whenever he is going out?