President Lazarus Chakwera’s recent State House engagements with various community groups are drawing scrutiny, with critics alleging that the events double as a covert campaign strategy financed by public funds ahead of the September 16 General Election.
Sources interviewed by Malawi24 reveal that attendees including youth representatives, traditional leaders, teachers, and vendors are being paid allowances of at least K50,000 per person, officially labeled as transport refunds or meal allowances, despite most being transported in pre-arranged, fully funded buses.
Observers are raising red flags over the ethical and financial implications of these gatherings, questioning whether taxpayer money is being used to secure political loyalty under the guise of development consultations.
A youth leader from Dowa, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
“They gave us K50,000 each and called it transport money, but we were already brought to the State House by hired buses. To me, it felt more like a token of appreciation.”
A senior traditional leader from the Central Region added:
“We were told the meeting was about development, but the messaging focused more on why we should support the government.”
Government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu has defended the meetings, stating that they are legitimate platforms for the president to gather developmental input from citizens.
“The president engaging with citizens at State House is not a crime. These are not campaign events, they are developmental consultations. President Chakwera is both the Head of State and the party leader, but these events are about governance, not politics,” said Kunkuyu.
However, civil society organizations and opposition figures remain skeptical.
Political analyst Thomas Chirwa warned that such practices amount to an abuse of incumbency.
“What we are seeing is the blurring of lines between governance and campaigning. Leveraging public resources and institutional access to indirectly canvass for support undermines democratic fairness,” Chirwa said.
