President Lazarus Chakwera has defended his trip to the United States, arguing that when there are economic challenges, it is necessary to go out and look for solutions instead of staying indoors and complaining.
The Malawi leader made the remarks yesterday on arrival at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.
Chakwera left Malawi on September 13 and stopped in Kenya before leaving for the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). On Sunday on his way back to Malawi, he stopped in United Arab Emirates where he held bilateral meeting with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyah, President of UAE.
Critics including the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) condemned Chakwera for travelling to US in the middle of fuel, forex and electricity crises. The DPP demanded Chakwera to cut short his trip.
However, addressing his supporters at a rally at the airport, Chakwera defended his trip.
Chakwera gave an example of his father, saying there were times when he had no money but he would go out of the house and do everything possible to make money. According to Chakwera, his father would borrow money and travel several kilometres to Nkhoma to buy locally made products which he would then resell in other villages and manage to pay back the loans and send Chakwera to school.
“Kuti tizingoyang’anitsitsana kunoku kumanena kuti zinthu zavuta aliyense ndikumangodandaula, aliyense ndikumangozitsekera mnyumba tifera limodzi mnyumbamo. (If we all stay in the country and continue complaining that nothing is working with no one going out to find solutions, then we would all die),” said Chakwera.
The president lauded his trip to the United States saying he has secured investments in areas such as health, agriculture, education, energy, transport, sports and youth development advancing. He also mentioned the signing of the Millennium Challenge Compact which is bringing over K350 billion to Malawi.
He further added that the UAE government will send a delegation to Malawi in two weeks’ time to invest in the energy sector to end current blackouts.
Writing on his Facebook Page, Chakwera said: “These deals will help us actualise the dream of a self-reliant and inclusively wealthy nation within the next four decades.”
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