President Lazarus Chakwera, who appears on a poster as guest of honour for the 2022 Environmental Health Conference and General Meeting in Mangochi, has said he will not attend the meeting.
A flier circulating on social media indicates that Chakwera will attend the meeting slated for June 16 and 17 which has been organized by Ministry of Health in collaboration with Malawi Environmental Health Association.
Keynote speakers at the meeting include Thomas Munthali of the National Planning Commission and associate professor Nancy Chitera who is Vice Chancellor of Malawi University of Applied Sciences (MUBAS).
The planned attendance of Chakwera as guest of honour at the meeting has raised questions as the president last week announced cost cutting measures which include a reduction of local trips. Recently, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba also announced a ban on lakeshore meetings for civil servants as part of the measures to save funds.
However, Presidential Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda has told the local media that Chakwera will not attend the meeting. According to Kasunda, there was no initial plan for Chakwera to preside over the conference as indicated on a flier.
“The President is not attending any meeting at Sun ‘n’ Sand. The only Government office that communicates officially about the President’s public programme is the President’s office, and there has been no communication from His Excellency’s office to suggest anything of the sort,” said Kasunda.
On social media, Malawians have wondered how the president is on the flier yet State House is not aware of the meeting.
“But how can this be possible that HE appears on a flyer that State House did not consent to?,” said one person.
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