BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Passport mess is now long overdue that it has brought shame to President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government.
The mess that started as a rumour has even cost Malawi First Lady Monica Chakwera’s aids who failed to accompany her to Switzerland.
According to sources the First Lady’s aids were rejected by Swiss government due to poor quality of Malawian passport.
In all the mess, President Chakwera remains unmoved to fire the embattled and old Immigration Department Director General Charles Kalumo including Homeland Security Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma.
This has also prompted a group of concerned Immigration Department staff vowing to proceed with their planned strike tomorrow.
In a communication seen by this publication, the disgruntled Immigration workers are informing three airlines namely: Malawi Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways of the impending boycott.
The letter dated June 5, 2024 has also been addressed to Malawi Revenue Authority, Transporters Association of Malawi and all travel agents, indicating that Immigration Department staff will down tools on Thursday, June 6 should the Ministry of Homeland Security fail to address their concerns by close of business today.
Reads the notice: “You are therefore advised that there shall be no Immigration services in all formations including, and importantly so, all airports. Take note that we shall note hesitate to announce resumption of services once our concerns are addressed.”
The group of concerned officers is demanding the removal of their director general Charles Kalumo.
The group’s spokesperson Charles Chisi confirmed that they are going ahead with the strike, saying there has not been any feedback from government.
Now, despite the mess at the immigration, without shame and remorse, Kalumo has threatened concerned staff members to get fired if they go ahead with industrial sit-in arguing that its illegal.
Kalumo knows that he has failed to deliver while keeps on assuring Chakwera that the mess will be fixed but, nothing is working.
This is very clear that Chakwera is afraid of firing Kalumo despites calls due to personal connection with the embattled immigration Chief.
This is the reason Kalumo is arrogant, abusive and militant on immigration staff members since he was appointed as immigration chief.
Chakwera must therefore rise above personal relationship with Kalumo to save Malawians from international shame on the passport mess.
Kalumo served the nation at Malawi army and Malawians can not afford to bring an old guard to mess up.