Chakwera, the Malawian Martin Luther King Jr: Fuels Malawians into action

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President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday delivered a speech that has inspired the country with the same zeal of American revolutionary Martin Luther King Jnr.

Speaking during his inauguration as Malawi’s 6th president, Chakwera touched the audience in the course of his delivery. His speech moved the audience from one historic period to another while providing clarifications on promises made by the Tonse Alliance.

“Two score and sixteen years ago, our nation was born. It was a birth that I myself bore witness to, for not only was I a young boy of nine on that day; I was also one of only 4 million people to have gone to bed a Nyasa the night before and rise the next morning a Malawian.

“Of that generation, only half of us remain, and with each passing year, our numbers fall as we continue to pass the baton of turning our land into a great nation to the next generation,” said Chakwera in his opening remarks.

The president also spoke highly of a collective effort by different parties leading to his victory. He argued that it is such effort that have taken him this far.

“If it were not for Dr. Chilima and the other party presidents of the Tonse Alliance forfeiting their political aspirations to forge an unbeatable partnership at the polls, none of us would be here.

“If it were not for thousands of knees scraping floors across this country in night long prayers that gave heaven no rest until God’s kingdom came, none of us would be here.”

Chakwera concluded the speech by urging Malawians to work hard if the country is to undergo a desirable transformation.

“I will challenge all of you as citizens to work hard, work hard, work hard, work hard, and work hard.

“The time of giving free handouts and rewarding noise makers and handclappers who are too lazy to work is past. We have a country to build and not a moment to waste. So, let’s all get to work.”

Meanwhile commentators are clapping for Malawi’s 6th leader for a powerful speech. Others have rated it as the best to have been made by Malawi’s president.

Social Commentator and writer Onjezani Kenani argues that the speech is Chakwera’s best ever speech. A thousand other Malawians concur with him.

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