Young Malawians have voiced their disappointment with President Lazarus Chakwera, stating that he is deviating from the progressive path he promised during his election campaign.
The sentiments of the Malawian youth are reflected in the findings of the African Youth Survey, recently highlighted by the BBC.
This criticism coincides with a controversial week in Malawian politics, during which the government dropped fraud and corruption charges against Vice President Saulos Chilima, despite the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s assertion of having substantial evidence to proceed against the UTM leader.
Chilima was implicated in a scandal involving kickbacks from British businessman Zuneth Sattar. The case’s dismissal, however, did not shock many in Malawi, who are accustomed to the ongoing saga of corruption cases.
The situation escalated when President Chakwera openly supported four former government officials, despite their bans from entering the U.S. due to corruption allegations connected to the same businessman, Sattar.
Chakwera’s unexpected mockery of the U.S. decision to impose these bans further cemented doubts about his willingness to combat corruption, especially in what has been dubbed the Sattargate scandal.
Given these developments, it’s unsurprising that the survey reveals a broad consensus among Malawi’s youth that the nation is veering off course under Chakwera’s administration.
The survey included responses from youth in various African nations including Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, Mozambique, and South Africa who voiced out similar concerns.
