President Lazarus Chakwera says he would like to follow in the footsteps of South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela who ruled South Africa for five years.
Speaking to VOA’s Straight Talk Africa on Wednesday, Chakwera said Mandela was a leader who exemplified servant leadership.
“Despite everything else, he was someone who just wanted to serve. I would like to follow in his footsteps or even trail blaze, something that others can say we wanna be servants,” said Chakwera.
Mandela was an anti-apartheid revolutionary who ruled South Africa from 1994 to 1999 although the Constitution allowed him to rule for two consecutive terms.
On servant leadership, Chakwera said people in office should not be regarded as some kind of god since they are servants of members of the general public.
The Malawi leader added that his administration will offer a different kind of leadership which would be servanthood and where people are the ones who are the bosses.
“We want to make sure that we do not create that kind of aura where a leader cannot be criticized, a leader cannot be advised for fear that if they don’t like the advice then it going to be tough on you, or a leader that cannot be ruled against in terms of for example a court ruling.
“You need to humble oneself and say how can I best serve and how can I receive criticism and receive correction and then still serve without getting so hurt as to think that your ego was in trouble.
“You are a human being serving other human beings who have needs just like you do,” said Chakwera.
I believe that Chakwera can do this. I just pray that he wont be led astray by evil greedy others who are benefiting from his leadership and would like to maintain him on presidency for their own benefit.