Residents of Nkhata Bay and various stakeholders have expressed outrage over President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to assign ministers to verify the existence of projects mentioned in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Many argue that the move undermines credibility, as the same ministers may have misled the president in the first place.
Speaking to Malawi24, resident Andrew Katuwa Banda criticized Chakwera’s approach, warning that it could harm his political standing.
“What Chakwera has done assigning the very same ministers who deceived him is like digging his own political grave,” Banda said.
Political analyst Thomas Chirwa echoed these concerns, stating that allowing the same officials to verify the projects they previously reported on casts doubt on the entire process.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Law Society (MLS) has strongly condemned the government’s decision to send ministers to justify the claims made in the SONA, calling it a grave mistake.
MLS President Patrick Mpaka argued that the president must provide Malawians with accurate information, rather than relying on ministers to defend statements that may be false.
Mounting Pressure for Ministerial Dismissals
Following revelations that some of the projects mentioned in Chakwera’s SONA do not exist, pressure is mounting on the president to take decisive action.
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has demanded that Chakwera fire the ministers and officials who misled the nation.
HRDC described the situation as “shocking” and “highly embarrassing,” arguing that instead of holding those responsible accountable, the president has allowed them to justify the misleading statements in Parliament.
“Instead of firing those who misled him, the president has now assigned them to cover up the misinformation. This is unacceptable,” HRDC stated.
Public frustration continues to grow, with many calling for a complete ministerial reshuffle to restore trust in the government.
As pressure mounts, Malawians are watching closely to see whether President Chakwera will take action or continue to stand by his embattled ministers.
