Chakwera (C) with Banda (L) and Muluzi
President Lazarus Chakwera has met former presidents Bakili Muluzi and Joyce Banda in Blantyre today over Cyclone Freddy.
According to Chakwera, he organized the meeting to tap into the former presidents’ pool of knowledge and global social capital as he seeks short and long term remedies for affected people.
“Dr. Bakili Muluzi and Dr. Joyce Banda, have presented valuable insights on how best we can provide immediate relief to the displaced then rebuild resiliently against climate-induced disasters,” Chakwera wrote on his Facebook Page.
He added that the two former presidents have pledged to support all efforts lined up by government in providing necessary respite to affected communities.
“I am humbled to receive such support from the two statespersons,” Chakwera added.
Conspicuously missing from the meeting was former President Peter Mutharika who lost to Chakwera in the 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections.
Mutharika’s party, Democratic Progressive Party, had earlier indicated that he would not attend the meeting because he was not officially invited.
After the plans to hold the meeting were announced by Chakwera, critics questioned Chakwera’s motives for holding such a meeting while many Malawians affected by Cyclone Freddy are yet to receive help and bodies of some flood victims are still missing.
According to the critics, Chakwera organized the meeting for his own political benefit and not for the benefit of those directly affected by floods.
Cyclone Freddy hit the Southern Region of Malawi last week leaving 562,415 displaced, 511 dead and 1,332 injured. As of yesterday, 533 were still missing.
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