President Lazarus Chakwera has met his cabinet today at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, as Malawians are expected to take to the streets on Friday to demand solutions to the current economic crisis.
State House has confirmed the meeting.
“His Excellency Dr Lazarus Chakwera President of the Republic of Malawi is today meeting with the Cabinet at Kamuzu palace. The meeting started at 10 O’clock this morning and is expected to conclude later this afternoon,” reads a post on State House Facebook Page.
The meeting comes as Malawi’s economic situation has worsened over the past months with government owned entities such as water boards, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority and Malawi Housing Corporation leading in hiking tariffs and rentals. Prices of essential goods such as cooking oil, soap and sugar also continue to skyrocket.
Amid the economic crisis, Chakwera travelled abroad on October 19 and returned home on November 6. He also travelled to South Africa on November 14 for an intra-Africa fair and he came back on November 15.
Last week, President Lazarus Chakwera admitted that there is a crisis but he urged Malawians to endure the pain as his administration is working hard to ensure that the country’s ailing economy recovers.
But critics were quick to point out the irony in Chakwera asking Malawians to make sacrifices yet he continues to unnecessarily travel both locally and internationally.
“Your excellency, you need to consider reflecting on your calls for Malawians to bear the economic hardships, and yet you unnecessarily travel every day both locally and internationally without even considering to delegate the Vice President, or cabinet ministers,” said rights activist Sylvester Namiwa in a letter to the president.
Meanwhile, former Parliamentarian Bon Kalindo has organised anti-government demonstrations to be conducted on Friday.
Kalindo said today in Blantyre that protesters are demonstrating against rising cost of living, corruption and unfulfilled campaign promises and want the Chakwera administration to resolve these issues.
Malawians need to endure pain on road to economic recovery – Chakwera
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