By: Ollus Ndomu
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera returned home yesterday, October 4 after spending three weeks in New York, a development which gathered sharp criticism from Malawian opposition and social media users.
President Chakwera who left Malawi on September 13 and stopped in Kenya before leaving for the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has defended his longest stay in the U.S.
Addressing his supporters at the airport, President Chakwera defended his trip by giving 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. He went on saying 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 opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had earlier condemned Chakwera for travelling to the US in the middle of fuel, forex and electricity crises.
The Malawi leader 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. Adapted from Malawi24
