The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on Thursday, September 24, called all Malawians to rise against unreasonable policy reforms which are said to be perpetuating poverty for many Malawians and appear to favor the rich and party loyalists.
The call comes amid discontentment among Malawians over public reforms programs the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government is championing which has resulted into questionable change of policies in education, health, water, agriculture, and transport among others.
Through the press conference MCP held on Thursday, September 24 in the capital Lilongwe aimed at reacting to various social economic challenges Malawians are going through.
The briefing which was co-hosted by Dr. Jessie Kabwira , Dr Elias Chakwera, Mandaliza Dzonzi and Juliana Linguzi as Party’s Spokesperson, Shadow Ministers of Education, Finance and Health respectively condemned President Peter Mutharika leadership as the perpetuators of the country’s stricken poverty due to poor social-economic policies.
On education reforms made that conducting Junior Certification Education (JCE) exams must be abolished, the party sounded an alarm with such decision saying Malawi’s system of education was not yet ready to graduate into those reforms.
“Education reforms must be based on education theories not on economic grounds. Any nation’s development derives from well- established education policies. Abolishing JCE exams isn’t viable for Malawi as education system is still under developed. If this reform is
implemented, expects high dropout rates.
“Why raising tuitions in fees secondary schools teachers training colleges and abolishing student sponsorship in public universities when our economy is in shambles? We thought this could be the best time government was to rescue the public from the social economic
turmoil but instead it’s acting strangely”, wondered Chakwera, MCP’s shadow minister of Education.
On how the passing of the 2015/2015 nation budget was implemented, MCP expressed sadness over the bloated delegates sent to UN Summit in New York as tax-payers money is being spent wrongly based on challenges the populace are encountering saying, a serious government could not send such huge numbers of people reportedly to over 115 while the same government was seeking financial support from donors.
“This is a childish government. How can you carry party loyalists, wives, maids to a summit whose presence won’t add any value but rather wining, shopping with poor’s money and later, you seek financial support from donors. Can a serious donor offer help with such uncalled for spending?
“The budget policy we passed in parliament is off track this is the reason the Kwacha continues depreciating, high interest rates which has resulted into skyrocketing prices of commodities and services. Some of these reforms MCP isn’t consulted which we could provide foresight before they announce them to the public”, said Dzonzi
The also party condemned DPP government on the decision for withdrawing of health workers who were already deployed to various health facilities across the nation due to financial constraints which MCP described the move as being insensitive to an ordinary Malawian at the village.
“How can you ask donors for funds to train health workers then later you tell the same partner that we won’t make use of their resources output into use? Are we serious as a nation? The monies being used for travelling to UN Summit could be better allocated into this.
It just shows how visionless the leadership the nation is under”, worried Lunguzi who is also Chairperson of Parliamentary committee on health.
MCP therefore called all Malawian to rise up against any policy decision which might harm them saying the nation has lost direction that the poverty continues to worsen day by day due to poor leadership which DPP must hand off if has failed to deliver.
“Others thought that putting DPP in power was away to punish MCP but we are all suffering from mediocrity of this government. They are running the affairs of the state in hurry as if are chased by anybody.
Malawians don’t want to reach the extent of July 20, 2011 due to social-economic challenges. People want decent health, education, water, transport services delivery.
“The party has done its part. Therefore, its high time concerned citizens could rise up against any useless and counterproductive policies which only favor the rich and party loyalists leaving the rest feeling the pitch. We need productive citizens. This nation is
for every as such we must take care of it from any damage one might want to pose on”, appeals Dr Kabwira.
