MANGOCHI-(MaraviPost)-The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has called on President Lazarus Chakwera to take decisive action against political violence in the country, warning that it could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
Speaking during a meeting with Chakwera at Chikoko Bay State Lodge in Mangochi on Friday,PAC Vice-Chairperson Osman Karim emphasized the need for action to back up the president’s condemnation of violence.
Karim stressed that PAC welcomes Chakwera’s condemnation of violence but urged him to translate words into action.
In response, Chakwera reaffirmed his commitment to peace, citing his constitutional duty, oath of office, and personal beliefs.
He assured that he would be willing to sign a peace declaration, demonstrating his dedication to promoting peaceful elections.
In January this year, three female supporters of the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) were harassed, beaten, and undressed in Ndirande, Blantyre.
Violent incidents also occurred in Lilongwe last year where, on two occasions, panga-wielding men foiled demonstrations organised by civil society organisations and opposition political parties.
Previously, opposition parties had also been attacked at Mbowe Service Station and Msundwe in Lilongwe, as well as Mponela in Dowa, among other incidents.
By Chisomo Phiri
MANGOCHI-(MaraviPost)-The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has called on President Lazarus Chakwera to take decisive action against political violence in the country, warning that it could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
Speaking during a meeting with Chakwera at Chikoko Bay State Lodge in Mangochi on Friday,PAC Vice-Chairperson Osman Karim emphasized the need for action to back up the president’s condemnation of violence.
Karim stressed that PAC welcomes Chakwera’s condemnation of violence but urged him to translate words into action.
In response, Chakwera reaffirmed his commitment to peace, citing his constitutional duty, oath of office, and personal beliefs.
He assured that he would be willing to sign a peace declaration, demonstrating his dedication to promoting peaceful elections.
In January this year, three female supporters of the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) were harassed, beaten, and undressed in Ndirande, Blantyre.
Violent incidents also occurred in Lilongwe last year where, on two occasions, panga-wielding men foiled demonstrations organised by civil society organisations and opposition political parties.
Previously, opposition parties had also been attacked at Mbowe Service Station and Msundwe in Lilongwe, as well as Mponela in Dowa, among other incidents.
The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has convened the sixth all-inclusive stakeholders conference on the 2025 general election in Blantyre, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss crucial issues related to the upcoming polls.
The conference, themed “Securing Consensus on Transparent and Accountable Electoral Governance through Dialogue,” aims to promote transparent and accountable electoral governance.
The gathering includes representatives from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), political parties, religious groupings, the Malawi Police, development partners, and other electoral interest groups.
Over the two-day conference, participants will engage in discussions on potential triggers of electoral disputes, the state of preparedness for the general election, and peace and security plans for the 2025 polls.
The conference provides a platform for stakeholders to share insights, address concerns, and work towards ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process.
By fostering dialogue and consensus-building, the stakeholders aim to promote a transparent and accountable electoral governance framework that will enhance the integrity of the 2025 general election.
Through this initiative, PAC is playing a vital role in supporting Malawi’s democratic processes and promoting electoral best practices.
The success of this conference will contribute significantly to the country’s efforts to hold a free, fair, and peaceful election.
A heated exchange erupted at the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) all-inclusive stakeholders conference in Blantyre when moderator Maggie Kathewera Banda announced that there would be no more questions due to the impending lunch break.
The decision sparked outrage among activists Bon Kalindo and Sylvester Namiwa, who felt that their voices were being silenced.
“So why are we here? Give us an opportunity to speak too,” Kalindo and Namiwa shouted in unison, expressing their frustration with the conference’s format.
The tense moment was eventually diffused by Mavuto Bamusi, spokesperson for the Political Science Association, who intervened to calm the situation.
The incident highlights the challenges of managing diverse opinions and expectations in a forum with multiple stakeholders.
The PAC conference aims to bring together various interest groups to discuss crucial issues related to the upcoming general election.
However, the limited speaking time and perceived lack of opportunity for all participants to contribute to the discussion sparked controversy.
The conference, which brings together stakeholders from various sectors, including political parties, civil society, and government agencies, is designed to promote dialogue and consensus-building on key electoral issues. Despite the tense moment, the conference is expected to continue with its agenda, focusing on critical topics such as electoral disputes, preparedness for the general election, and peace and security plans.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of effective communication and participatory approaches in forums like the PAC conference.
By providing opportunities for all stakeholders to contribute to the discussion, organizers can foster a more inclusive and productive dialogue, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the electoral process.
Tension erupts at PAC Conference as activists demand their voice be heard
Public Affairs Committee (PAC)
By Burnett Munthali
Tempers flared during the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) all-inclusive stakeholders’ conference currently underway in Blantyre, following a contentious moment that unfolded just before the meeting was adjourned for lunch.
The tension began when conference moderator Maggie Kathewera Banda announced that there would be no more questions from the floor as the session was coming to a close. Her announcement was met with an immediate and angry reaction from civil rights activists Bon Kalindo and Sylvester Namiwa, who felt sidelined and shut out of the discussion.
“So why are we here? Give us an opportunity to speak too,” Kalindo and Namiwa protested in unison, raising their voices above the murmurs in the room. The pair stood firmly on their right to participate in what was supposed to be a democratic and inclusive dialogue.
Their public outburst quickly drew attention and momentarily disrupted proceedings, as other participants observed the confrontation unfold. It took the calm and measured intervention of Political Science Association spokesperson Mavuto Bamusi to restore order. Bamusi addressed the situation diplomatically, appealing for calm and urging both the organizers and participants to maintain the spirit of mutual respect and constructive engagement.
The incident reflects growing public frustration and a strong demand for genuine inclusivity, especially from activists and concerned citizens who believe their perspectives are often marginalized in official policy forums. It also underscores the critical need for organizers of such national gatherings to allocate sufficient time for diverse voices, particularly on sensitive matters affecting governance, elections, and democracy.
The PAC conference, a vital platform for civic and political dialogue in Malawi, continues with heightened anticipation as stakeholders prepare to address key issues ahead of the country’s 2025 general elections.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The UTM leader Dr Dalitso Kabambe has questioned the quasi-religious grouping Public Affairs Committee (PAC) silence over numerous crises Malawians are going through under President Lazarus Chakwera leadership.
In his open letter addressing to PAC dated, January 11, 2025, The UTM leader Dr. Kabambe wants the religious grouping to come out of the cocoon to bring hope among citizenry.
“Dear Public Affairs Committee, I hope this letter finds you well. I am troubled by the deteriorating situation which is affecting the very fabric of our society and the lives of every Malawian.
“It is with a heavy heart that I pen this letter, compelled by an urgent need for action and dialogue,”, reads the letter in part.
Dr Kabambe adds, “As we navigate these turbulent times, it has become painfully clear that the current state of affairs requires our collective attention.
“The issues at hand—be they related to commission of inquiry on the chikangawa plan crush, hunger, impunity , selective justice,governance, judiciary corruption, tribalism nepotism, fuel shortages, election preparations or basic human rights—demand a sincere and honest engagement among all stakeholders”.
The UTM leader urges, “It is imperative that we come together as a community to address the pressing concerns that threaten our unity and progress.
“I call upon the Public Affairs Committee to take a proactive stance as a beacon of hope and unity”.
The former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor observes further, “The role you play in facilitating dialogue and fostering collaboration among the diverse segments of our society is crucial.
“While many of us may have differing views and experiences, it is essential that we create a platform where these perspectives can be shared openly and respectfully”.
He appeals, “I urge you to convene a stakeholders meeting that brings together representatives from various sectors of society.
“This gathering should strive to create an environment where honest dialogue can flourish, allowing us to collaboratively identify solutions and chart a path forward”.
Dr Kabambe says, “We must prioritize the voices of the people, ensuring that their concerns and aspirations guide our discussions.
“Only by embracing this people-driven approach can we truly inspire hope for a better tomorrow and work collectively towards meaningful change”.
The UTM leader states further, “Let us remember that the power to transform our nation lies within us. Together, we can foster a sense of through unity and shared purpose.
“Through unity and honest dialogue, we can cultivate a brighter future for all. Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter, which I hope will help steer our nation in the right direction”.
As only eight months remaining before holding general polls on September 16, 2025, Malawi is grappling with fuel, forex, food crises that have life becoming unbearable.
……PAC COMMENDS CHAKWERA FOR TOUGH DECISIONS (to steer the country in the right direction)
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-On November 28, 2023, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) met President Lazarus Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe.
PAC has periodic meetings with the Malawi leader to reflect with him on topical issues touching on leadership and governance.
During the meeting, PAC hailed Chakwera for not protecting anyone from facing the long arm of the Law.
Thawale (who is Thawale? He is missing in the 1st paragraph) added that he has let them go to people who were very close to him saying that was commendable.
“Your Excellency’s administration started well by not protecting anybody from arrests in the high offices. This was commendable,” he said.
On the state of Malawi’s economy, Dr Thawale commended President Chakwera’s decision to devalue the Malawi currency saying that was a commendable move as well.
“Many economic commentators have made observations on the current economic situation. Your Excellency, this remains an elephant in the room in Malawi. We will not go round and round but make observations on the recent devaluation of 44%. Let us be clear at the outset that PAC is not against any devaluation.
“Previous governments in Malawi have devalued the Malawi Kwacha. So, we do not condemn devaluation as such. We are aware that the popular view is that by devaluing Malawi’s currency, this country makes its money cheaper and boosts exports, rendering them more competitive in the global market,” he said.
Thawale said the devaluation will make foreign products become more expensive and this will lower the demand for imports.
“As such, Your Excellency, Governments use devaluation to combat a trade imbalance and have exports exceed imports. We congratulate Your Excellency for making such a bold decision following negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” he said.
PAC also commended Chakwera for the hard decision he has been making for the good of Malawians.
“In either case we do not have doubt that you mean well and would like to see this country move forward,” he said.
PAC also hailed the president for the road infrastructure development projects currently taking place in the country.
“We have seen road infrastructure being constructed – demonstrating your commitment to the completion of the unfinished roads. Your political posture and eloquence qualify you for leadership in the highest office. Your level of tolerance is magnificent since you took office,” he said.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s church grouping, Public Affairs Committee (PAC), has slammed President Lazarus Chakwera’s leadership style saying his positive narrative is quickly shifting from bad to worse.
The church group observes that this is due to Chakwera’s inconsistencies and delays in acting on crucial matters including economic management that has failed to tick in the last three years.
In a press statement made available to The Maravi Post after a closed-door meeting with Chakwera, PAC Chairperson Monsignor Dr. Patrick Thawale, outlines five aspects that need urgent Chakwera’s attention.
The church grouping observes that there will be a negative impact on the livelihood of Malawians caused by the recent 44 percent devaluation of Malawi Kwacha.
PAC statement therefore has made a number of recommendations that Chakwera should dissolve the cabinet to appoint only 15 ministers and reduce the number of his advisors.
On corruption and the rule of law, the PAC Chairperson says public trust in the drive was eroded in the manner the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General, Martha Chizuma, was arrested and interdicted.
PAC has also accused Chakwera of nepotism in appointing his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) loyalists, church and family friends in public office.
However, Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Kasunda, only confirmed that the President met the PAC leadership.
Kasunda hinted that the meeting was cordial.
Below is PAC’s full statement addressing to Chakwera:
REMARKS BY MSGR. DR. PATRICK THAWALE, CHAIRPERSON OF PAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, DURING INTERFACE MEETING WITH THE STATE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI, HIS EXCELLENCY, REV. DR. LAZARUS MCCARTHY CHAKWERA ON 28th NOVEMBER, 2023 AT 2:00 PM AT KAMUZU PALACE, LILONGWE.
Your Excellency, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the President of the Republic of Malawi, We are glad to have an audience with you once again since July 2022. As you may recall, we booked this audience in the month of June this year but because of your tight schedules, we met today to share our views as we should have done then. A lot has happened since then.
Your Excellency, as we draw towards the end of the year PAC wishes to share observations on the state of affairs of our country. We share the observations in an honest and frank manner as agreed between us in June 2021. In doing so, Your Excellency should understand us in light of the role we have played during the reign of each regime.
In no way, Your Excellency should view us as hating anyone in your administration in cases where positions are cited. We continue to draw inspiration from your wisdom that humility and integrity are virtues you seek to see in the pursuit of your leadership.
Your Excellency, we recognize and acknowledge some of the difficult decisions you have made or have not made when expected to. In either case, we do not have doubt that you mean well and would like to see this country move forward. We have seen road infrastructure being constructed – demonstrating your commitment to the completion of the unfinished roads. Your political posture and eloquence qualify you for leadership in the highest office. Your level of tolerance has been magnificent since you took office.
Your Excellency, allow us to take you back to 2020 when you assumed the office of the President of Malawi. Your leadership and Tonse Alliance created a unique ray of hope for transformational leadership as we departed from the previous regime. Frustrations among Malawians were consigned to the past hoping that the time had come to reverse transactional leadership.
Transformative leadership was seen as the only option for the Tonse Administration based on the pledges made. That Your Excellency had risen from our fraternity to the highest office, our conviction and trust in your leadership was unshakable.
You became a source of pride. Different narratives emerged at the time. Some argued that a clergy cannot run the country as politics is not his domain. Some of us took the contrary view.
We felt that most issues of political governance could be closer to your heart and that your decision-making would be swift, supported by a revamped public service populated by qualified technocrats.
Your Excellency, we deliberately raise the issues on how you were viewed prior to and just after taking office for you to appreciate the critical juncture of your leadership style.
Indeed, Your Excellency, you inspired Malawians with your inaugural speech. You motivated everybody. Currently, that positive narrative is quickly shifting from bad to worse largely because of your inconsistencies and delays in the execution of actions and decisions in the administration and management of the economy, the public sector, the rule of law, and governance in general.
Your Excellency’s administrative policy mix as articulated in the MCP Manifesto has been unsatisfactory and at times retrogressive, uncertain and risky.
In light of the above, we make observations on the following aspects:
Economy Many economic commentators have made observations on the current economic situation. Your Excellency, this remains an elephant in the room in Malawi. We will not go round and round but make observations on the recent devaluation of 44%. Let us be clear at the outset that PAC is not against any devaluation. Previous governments in Malawi have devalued the Malawi Kwacha. So for us, we do not condemn devaluation as such. We are aware that the popular view is that by devaluing Malawi’s currency, this country makes its money cheaper and boosts exports, rendering it more competitive in the global market. Conversely, foreign products become more expensive, so the demand for imports falls. As such, Your Excellency, Governments use devaluation to combat a trade imbalance and have exports exceed imports. We congratulate Your Excellency for making such a bold decision following negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
However, Your Excellency, our major concern is the negative impact on the livelihood of Malawians caused by the 44%. Already when the government devalued currency by 25% last year, the impact on rural Malawians was big. Now 44% more suffering is expected among the majority of Malawians. We believe tough decisions should have been made earlier, in fact when you assumed office. On the contrary, Your Excellency, domestic borrowing, international travels by state officials including yourself, and failure in general to tighten fiscal policies became the order of the day. Coupled with the current huge wage bill no doubt Malawi could not be spared from devaluation. As such the latter factors chased the few dollars Malawi had. It seems to us that your leadership might have forgotten the MCP manifesto and the pledges made.
Your Excellency’s actions since you assumed office run counter to the very content and spirit of the MCP Manifesto. One of the pillars for an MCP-led capable democratic development state is “getting the policy mix right as a strategy to get the country moving again in a positive direction. This essentially entails getting the right policies in place, getting the sequencing right, and the flexibility to change quickly when a strategy is not working”(MCP Manifesto, 2019:12).
We observe that in many areas your decision-making has failed to get the sequencing of your policies right and to get the policy mix right as a strategy. In support of our observation, we further note a fundamental departure from your overarching goal to achieve certainty and reduce risks in economic decision-making.
MCP Manifesto (p.12) states that “The primary goal of the MCP-led government will be to implement these policies in a way that will reduce uncertainty and risk in economic decision-making”.
We welcome the austerity measures put in place following the recent devaluation but may not be adequate to turn around the economic crisis Malawi faces, especially the appetite for borrowing to consume has characterised your economic strategy.
Your Excellency, it is time your government worked on a strategy to stop the importation of non-essential commodities following the current economic turmoil we face. We believe these and other aspects below would contribute to the turning around of our economy.
Cabinet and Public Service Appointments Your Excellency may recall that in the previous dialogue between yourself and PAC, several aspects of Cabinet and public service appointments were discussed.
Your Excellency, the MCP Manifesto on Governance and Administration is impressive. It states that: “An MCP government will bring to an end the current situation whereby a career of work for the state turns into the reserved privilege of the few while maladministration and ineffectiveness are encouraged” (p.16). The spirit of this statement addresses several areas of decision-making in the administration inherited in 2020. These include appointments, recruitment, postings, and nepotism in the civil service, to mention a few.
Civil Service We begin by pointing out issues surrounding the leadership at the Office of the President and Cabinet. We do so not because we hate any individual or institution. Your Excellency will appreciate that CSOs have a space to play checks and balances during your reign. In this regard, we note that despite the euphoria on the appointment made last year for the position of Secretary to the President and Cabinet the civil service is in no better state than it was before the appointment.
Your Excellency, for example, there are complaints that some civil service appointments, recruitments and posting are unprocedural and partisan in nature rendering to conclusions that they favour specific districts or are based on party affiliations. From reliable sources, it looks like some appointments made by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet do not fall within her powers, and in many cases with questionable skills.
There has also been an appointment of Principal Secretaries from outside civil service who may not have skills on such positions. Officers who were looking forward to being meritoriously promoted have been left frustrated. Coupled with postings of competent officers to other Ministries in a bid to create room for MCP sympathizers, several Principal Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Directors, and even officers of lower ranks are disgruntled to the extent that your government cannot achieve the desired service delivery. These irregular recruitments have in a number of cases been made outside the approved establishment and approved budget. These have led to ballooned layers of principal secretaries and Directors and even junior staff resulting in a wage bill that is now hovering over 1 Trillion Malawi Kwacha, an overexpenditure that has necessitated unwarranted domestic borrowing in an already squeezed fiscal space. The perception out there is that this irregular recruitment cannot be done without Your Excellency’s approval.
Cabinet Size and OPC Your Excellency, we greatly appreciate that during your reshuffle of the Cabinet last year you slightly reduced the size. Your action was applauded by different quarters of our society. On our part, that reduction might not be adequate as the current cabinet size has a huge bearing on the country’s budget.
Given the current economic situation as rightly pointed out in the address to the Nation on 15th November 2023 in which new austerity measures were announced, Your Excellency may need to move further and fast to dissolve the Cabinet and appoint 15 Ministers only with gravitas and convene power. We are aware that appointment of the Cabinet Ministers is Your Excellency’s prerogative but our recommendation would reset the button of your leadership for service delivery – for all the Ministers would take a new oath of office and allegiance to Your Excellency.
In a bid to refresh the lean cabinet, the leadership at the helm of OPC would be replaced following allegations of poor recruitment, appointments, and postings but not forgetting how the interdiction of the ACB Director General damaged her reputation. We are aware that the leadership is well qualified but may not suit the current position. Her integrity and credibility remain an issue. Her replacement would be in line with the MCP Manifesto (p.15) which states in this regard that:
“A capable democratic developmental state cannot deliver if it is not served by a governance and public administration framework that is efficient, responsive, transparent and accountable and run by people who are selfless, objective, open and honest. These people should also demonstrate high levels of integrity and leadership”. We refuse to condone leadership that frustrates the entire civil service. We must at all times act for the greater good.
Presidential Advisors Your Excellency, as alluded to, in applying “the flexibility to change quickly when a strategy is not working” (MCP Manifesto, 2019:12), we are of the view that the strategy to maintain all Presidential Advisors on the job cannot work now and runs counter to the austerity measures set soon after 44% devaluation. We advocate that you keep very few of them in critical areas to save money. The State machinery has so many experts that any Head of State can call upon for specific pieces of advice.
Even outside government, Your Excellency may cheaply outsource than, maintaining the entire group of Presidential Advisors. We know they are good people but the economic situation demands us to act swiftly.
Faith Affiliated Appointments Your Excellency, our representation is from the faith community and we stand for the voiceless. There is the public observation that your appointments favor members of your church and perhaps by coincidence employ more those that are Pentecostals. We would like to be clear at this juncture. We are not stating that members of your church should not be appointed, but there could be a pattern people analyze in the process of government appointments that does not resonate well with public expectation. If this is indeed true, Your Excellency may reconsider the manner in which you appoint officials in state institutions. It does not augur well with the spirit of your Manifesto to fight against discrimination in various aspects as alluded to earlier.
We wish to caution Your Excellency that equally, mainstream churches should not always expect that their followers will at all times dominate in government-appointed jobs. We advocate religious inclusivity but not at the expense of merit so that service delivery improves in the state machinery.
MCP Loyalists
Through Your Excellency, let the word go to the MCP loyalists that not everybody in the party can be offered a job in government. You are the State President who is looked upon as a Father of the Nation. You are expected to appoint people based on merit rather than party affiliation.
Political party loyalists should avoid ownership of the President. Your Excellency will only triumph in 2025 if you become more inclusive. We appeal to objectivity in the execution of appointments.
Corruption and the Rule of Law MCP Manifesto (p.18) states that the MCP government will “ensure that prosecution of corruption cases is impartially targeting all culprits regardless of their standing in society and political allegiance……… The MCP Government will ensure the law will be applied firmly and without discrimination”.
In reading the MCP Manifesto, one would have hoped that the drive to fight against corruption could maintain the same momentum as it was in the initial stages.
Your Excellency’s administration started well by not protecting anybody from arrests in the high offices. This was commendable. However, our trust in the drive was eroded in the manner in which the ACB Director General was arrested and interdicted. This created a huge dent under the Tonse Administration. The interdiction of the ACB Director General dented Your Excellency’s image in that the public felt you approved the decision.
We further observed selective justice and noted that some old cases are not being pursued giving an impression new cases became more important than previous ones. The fight against corruption should not be based on selective justice. In this regard, Your Excellency will be expected to reset the button.
We know that the ACB remains committed to the fight against corruption and must be fully supported by your political machinery based on the MCP Manifesto to “Improve the capacity of the ACB in its various departments such as investigation, prosecution, civic education and outreach”.
Tonse Alliance Administration The challenges Malawi faces now require the entire Tonse Administration to meet and deliberate in further mitigating economic and governance challenges. Your Excellency, it seems the spirit of Tonse Alliance continues to evaporate apart from the cordial relationship with the Vice-President. Is it not high time that in such a situation Tonse Joint Press Conferences on the economy could be staged? Some pledges that were popular were not just MCP, they were pledged from other parties in the Alliance – they also attracted voters to vote for Your Excellency. We watched your rallies on TV and heard your tantalizing pledges. Your Excellency may have a duty to call a meeting of Alliance partners to strategize on how to mitigate your loss of popularity. Even if you go separate in the race of 2025 how will you condemn policies that all of you have been part of?
Affordable Input Programme (AIP) AIP has always been a debatable policy in Malawi. Several arguments have been advanced for and against but the bottom line has been the fact that it consumes a huge portion of the national budget. PAC would like to join those who advocate for an end to the AIP.
We believe the resources saved from this move would be redirected to other productive sectors including Mega Farms and medium productive farmers. We share the view, however, that the poor must be supported to ensure that there is food security. But with the current economic situation, bold decisions must be made to exist from the programme noting that the programme has been dented with corrupt practices.
Conclusion Your Excellency, indeed devaluation is a symptom of your actions, omissions and decisions pursued in the administration of state affairs. Domestic borrowing for consumption, international trips, cabinet size, and the entire size of civil service (including the unwarranted numbers in the embassies) as a result of recruitment have been the driving factors to the current economic affairs of the country.
Your Excellency may have been insensitive to the complaints and pieces of advice from stakeholders leading to the perception that the Tonse Administration seems to be clueless. Your Excellency has no choice but to act decisively on some recommendations made in order to jump-start the economy.
Malawians are crying out there. The poor are starving. The country is lacking a message of hope on the current economic terrain. We cannot maintain the status quo or else we create room for civil strife. Your Excellency, consider appointing 15 Cabinet Ministers with statecraft that can back you up, redeem the situation, and reverse negative perceptions, supported by the new Secretary to the President and Cabinet.
In this regard, some of the Ministries would be under Your Excellency’s leadership given that you have now cut international trips, and some Ministries could be combined, at least one allocated to the president in order to reduce the size of the cabinet.
As regards your leadership approach, we wish to state these words as we did in January 2022. Indecisiveness and slowness to respond to crucial issues remain a great enemy to your leadership legacy. The law gives you all the powers to swiftly make decisions for the state. You may need to seriously consider your approach. Otherwise, the populace is fading up.
Your Excellency, we continue to admire your levels of tolerance and spirit to enter into dialogue. Your success will be our success – so too if you fail, the faith community fails.
Finally, we have confidently raised the above issues and recommendations noting that your MCP Manifesto recognizes the role of civil society including the faith community.
It states that an MCP-led government will “facilitate the progressive development of civil society that is fully capable of holding government accountable and defending citizens’ rights”. This dialogue with Your Excellency today contributes to such a policy.
We thank you for opening your door for us. God Bless.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The quasi- religious body, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has told the country’s president, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera in a spade for spade that Malawians have lost trust in his leadership evidenced by failing to fight corruption citing maintaining Kezzie Msukwa as his Minister despite overwhelming evidence of his corruption on land deals.
The PAC has also called upon President Chakwera to consider reshuffle the Cabinet within 3 months saying the public patience is running thin.
The religious body says there are concerns which are continuing to be raised over the ability of leadership at the helm of Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) asking President Chakwera to consider appointing Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) acceptable by key stakeholders.
In a statement, the PAC says swift decision-making process is required citing indecisiveness in reshuffling the Cabinet, the revelations that Chakwera’s daughter, Violet, has assumed duties at the Embassy in the United Kingdom [UK] and his son-in-law, Sean Kampondeni doubling positions as Personal Assistant and State House Communication Director.
PAC says failure to make Public Sector Systems Review Report submitted to him by the Vice President Saulosi Chilima and failure to fire Ministers allegedly involved in corruption, has made Malawians to taint President Dr. Chakwera’s leadership as indecisiveness marred by lies and corruption.
Adding salt as a follow-up to PAC meeting with Chakwera, the Mzuzu Youth Anti-Corruption Movement, has called upon President to dismiss Msukwa within seven working days and should the president fail to do so, the movement will mobilize young people to hold demonstrations in solidarity with every Malawian who is suffering as a result of rampant corruption and abuse of public resources.
“We are reminding the President that by asserting MALAWI 2063, his administration made a commitment to strive to fashion a Government that is receptive to demands of Malawians such as reducing corruption risks from procurement and contract processes, promote openness and transparency in government processes and decisions and demonstrate leadership on integrity,” reads the statement in part signed by the Movement‘s Team Leader, Mathews Kajani.
On its part, Youth and Society (YAS) has called for the immediate resignation of Msukwa as a Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development saying it will be grateful to see him resign within seven days hereof, and failing which, they will take necessary action within the law.
In a letter to Msukwa signed by its Executive Director, Charles Kajoloweka, YAS says it believe that the minister’s resignation is the first significant step in ensuring justice and accountability in this corruption case.
“We, at YAS, and no doubt all right –minded Malawians are deeply concerned and disturbed that despite your arrest over these seriously scandalous criminal allegations, you continue in office as a Minister,” reads Kajoloweka’s letter in part.
Democracy as the name implies, depends on the active participation of the people in shaping the political process. For this to be achieved, an initiative-taking disposition must be nurtured and developed at the popular level. PAC, therefore, takes a critical role to play.
One of the clearest indications of the changes in the churches’ politics is the advisory role which they have assumed since the changes in 1994. The churches have seen making it a point to serve as ‘watchdogs,’ both cautioning principal political actors and contributing to the national political discourse.
The primary vehicle assigned to this task has been the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), which was reinvigorated by the churches in the months following the UDFs ascension to political power.
Among PAC’s multi-folded functions is to provide churches with a common voice to address matters of national interest. Thus, meetings sponsored by the PAC have been an especially important forum in this respect.
As early as November 1994, for instance, a PAC sponsored meeting, attended by three government officials, allowed church leaders to directly communicate their concerns about the deterioration of the economic and security situation in the country.
On economic issues, in 1995 PAC also raised a central issue under Bishop Ziyaye late, chairperson of the PAC. At a PAC meeting in Salima in March 1995, Ziyaye specifically commented by calling upon president Muluzi to very carefully review the economic conditions being imposed on Malawi by the IMF and World Bank ” to ensure that they are in the interests of the common man.” (The Nation, 28 March 1995)
On issues of security, in similar fashion, a PAC gathering in Mzuzu, April 1995, raised the issue of the worsening security situation in the country. (The Monitor, 30 April 1995)
On issues of foreign Policies and Donor Aid, PAC throwed its open letter in August 1995 to the President, Cabinet and Civil Servants Trade Union. While addressing a number of issues, the letter was particularly pointed in its critique of government spending priorities in the wake of donor recommendations.
“The resistance to World Bank recommendation that the size of the cabinet be reduced leaves us with the perception that by choosing to stand firm on this issue rather than on fertilizer subsidies for example, ministries are more important than the rest of the citizens.” (An open letter from the PAC Executive to the state President, members of Cabinet, and leaders of the Civil Servants Trade Union, 24 August 1995)
Again, on issues of governance, in 1996, PAC focused its attention on the behavior of the political parties which, in their view, was not only keeping critical issues off the national debate, but also contributing to an atmosphere of ungovernability in the country.
A February 1996 statement also made a sweeping condemnation of “unprincipled and irresponsible”. behavior characterizing the political leadership (government and opposition).
Citing as shameless party infighting, a cooperative stance by the opposition, and mercantile motives underlying party defections, PAC declaring that: “Instead of seeing our leaders focus their energy to watch them battle for personal gain.” (A call for Political maturity from the PAC Executive Committee, 6 February 1996)
Here today, also unwavering PAC is reminding us that the battle of fighting injustices, un-governance and impunity by the political leaders is never ending.
PAC in its speech to the president at Sanjika Palace, has reminded him of the negative trending issues the country is facing by his administration. Precisely, PAC has nailed not least but issues of rising corruption, cronyism where by the president himself parted his son-in-law with two government positions and his daughter into a foreign mission position.
Chakwera has also been criticized by PAC on practicing nepotism, favoring his ministers who have been complicated and encroached in the Zuneth Satter, an Indian who participates in corruption in Malawi and UK with Malawian government officials.
PAC has also opened fire on the office of the OPC by its inactive to serve the needs and welfare of Malawians. Not only that but the office of the Foreign Affairs has also come under fire that there are a lot of wrangles to be addressed and some ministerial positions, for instance, ministry of Civic Education and national Unity and others are viewed sleeping on the job and not valuing Malawians.
Chakwera has also been criticized on sitting on the Civil Service Reform Report and failing to make cabinet reshuffle.
Meanwhile, there is a huge rise of poverty levels and the gap between the rich and the poor has just doubled widening while there is a witness in rising of commodities and utilities being raised on poor Malawians.
PAC is now seen as the only hope for the hopeless Malawians who still await the promise of Canaan!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Member of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament on Wednesday told the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) to stop pushing for street demonstrations against Parliament for failing to pass the much awaited, electoral reforms bills.
This was said during a consultative meeting the parliamentary committee had with PAC at Parliament Building in Lilongwe on the Electoral Commission Act (Amendment) Bill which the National Assembly referred to the committee for review.
Mzimba South West member of Parliament (MP) who is also a member of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament said Malawians have lost confidence in the institution especially because of cancelling the same demos during the past Parliament session.
PAC postponed the nationwide demos which was expected to be hold 13 December, 2018 at eleventh hour after promised the executive promised to table and pass the bills.
The bills were shot down in the parliament by the government legislatures plus some ‘greedy’ opposition and independent Members of Parliament, a development forced PAC to reorganized the demos.
However, Kachali told PAC to stop the plan and instead should think of how it will positively contribute to the success of the 2019 General Elections.
Said Kachali: “Taking back to the streets the electoral reforms is waste of time. People have lost trust. Rather concentrate on how best we can help Malawians for a peaceful tripartite elections and also fight for the independence of MBC [Malawi Broadcasting Corporation] which has now turned to be a party broadcasting house which is worrisome as it brings conflict. So, if you go on the streets on this [MBC issue], I can assure you that I would personally join you, but not on the electoral reforms.”
Adding “Any decision taken at midnight is not a good decision. We thought that you were given money at the last minute and that money was not in kwacha, but in dollars in order for you to be silent.”
Responding to the concerns, PAC vice-chairperson Osman Karim told the committee that no money changed hands and that if money was given to them, they could have declared it and given the same to charity.
On the way forward, PAC promised to look at how it can contribute to peaceful tripartite elections as it foresees a tricky situation where there will be a narrow margin which they fear will bring a lot of conflict.
In his address to a visibly disappointed Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, PAC executive director Robert Phiri admitted the last minute change was regrettable.
“We know that a lot of people have been victimised by that decision we made on that night. We erred. Administratively, the decision was right, but politically it was wrong,” he said.
Phiri said the cancellation was based on an analysis they did after looking at the whole thing which emanated from a petition they presented to Parliament and was received by Legal Affairs Committee chairperson.
He said: “In the petition, we stressed that the bills be presented and passed in Parliament. The time we presented the petition the bills were not even on the order paper of the House, but as we drew near [the deadline] Cabinet decided to present the bills. So, we awaited the debate having in mind that we did not want to be seen as being an influencing factor for the deliberations of the House.”
The Electoral Commission Act (Amendment) Bill was the only survivor from a set of Electoral Reforms Bills that Parliament rejected in December amid tension between government and the quasi religious grouping.
The others were Amendment of Section 80 (2) of the Constitution and Section 96(5) of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA) proposing a 50-plus-one majority in presidential election; Consolidation of PPE Act and Local Government Elections Act; Amendment of Section 81 (3) of the Constitution for swearing-in of President and Vice-President to be done after 30 days.
There was also the Assumption of Office of President Bill to provide for the establishment of a transition team before a President assumes office and; Amendment to Section 62 of the Constitution where each district would provide a single constituency in which only women would contest.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on Friday disputed President Peter Mutharika’s recent claims that the party together with religious grouping, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) plotted to topple government through electoral reforms bills.
The party says the bill are for Malawians striving for quality governance systems in the country a head of 2019 general elections.
MCP Publicity Secretary, Dr. Jessie Kabwira told the news conference in the capital Lilongwe that the party had no evil intention of supporting the passing of the bills.
Dr Kabwira who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for Salima North-West constituency described Mutharika claims as sign of a “dying horse” which is battling for life.
The MCP publicist added that there was no way the party could plot ousting Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government when it has nothing to show off to the people for the past three years.
She therefore assured the general public that the party will continue pushing for electoral reform bills that they be passed into law before 2019.
“We can’t plot to remove Mutharika from power when they don’t have anything to show. Munthu umalimbana ndi masanza (do you fight for lugs or torn cloth)?. DPP government is a dying horse, breathing for life. We remain principled for making sure that the bills be passed but they shot them down.
“MCP still stands with PAC on the electoral bills. The party currently is busy strategizing a head of 2019 that we take the reins of power aimed at bailing out Malawians from social-economic ills DPP government has been inflicting on Malawians,” says Kabwira.
PAC felt betrayed by the governing DPP after it shot down some of electoral reforms bills that were table in Parliament.
The three Bills which government rejected are the Assumption of Office President (Transitional Arrangement) Bill, Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Bill and the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill.
They were all shot down before the Second Reading of each bill despite government bringing them into the house.
PAC therefore regrets on what has happened described it as government’s conspiracy to frustrate its own Bills on electoral reforms and hinted that it will reignite mass demonstrations that were earlier called off.
The religious body’s Executive Director Robert Phiri said that having seen the outcome of the deliberations in the House, the board will soon meet and direct the secretariat on when exactly the demonstrations can be held.
Phiri further indicated that there were wide consultations on the Bills, using the civil society task force and that the shooting down of the Bills is regrettable and retrogressive to the advancement of democracy for the country.
PAC postponed the much awaited December 13, 2017 protest on condition that government will table and pass into laws on electoral reforms bills.
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