The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) – a quasi-religious body – on Monday expressed serious reservations and disappointment with the lack of vision and direction President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has demonstrated over the four years of his leadership.
Speaking during an interface meeting at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday, PAC chairperson Monsignor Dr. Patrick Thawale observed that Chakwera has failed in many aspects, citing failure to tackle corruption and abuse of funds, despite his campaign promises to deal with the problems.
“PAC wishes to express its disappointment over the leadership style the country faces. The leadership’s inaction and indecisiveness on several revelations of alleged corrupt practices unearthed in the higher echelons of the current government have constructed a public view that erodes the integrity of the highest office. Your administration has demonstrated serious weaknesses on the alleged abuse of funds and corruption despite your assertions made during the 2019 and 2020 campaign,” Thawale said at the outset of the interface.
“We wish to recall that as a Man of God you exuded immense hope to take a strong stand against corrupt practices, as you had observed its negative impact. The MCP Manifesto (p.17) supports our view. It states, “The MCP will be very tough on corruption because it realizes that corruption is an epidemic that has the power to completely destroy a country’s socio-economic, financial and human and political environment”,” he added.
Thawale further told the Head of State that his administration has failed to heal the economy, and has instead put the economy in bad shape.
“Indeed, the country’s socio-economic, financial, human, and political environment has been corruptly destroyed. Having assumed power in 2020, incidents bent on corrupt practices in the current administration have been rife in the areas of AIP, and fuel procurement. Your leadership continuously ignored several allegations of unwarranted acts of corruption and remained indecisive on such issues especially relating to your closest ministers and government officials. The inaction and indecisiveness in many fronts of government not only manifest lack of statecraft but also cluelessness on operations of state machinery.
“Resultantly, the inconsistent actions have characterized the form of administration, which is devoid of integrity and honesty. While the latter are cardinal in any successful administration, your leadership has consigned to the past most values stipulated in the MCP Manifesto. We wish to subscribe to MCPs manifesto assertions on taking a tough stand on corrupt practices. However, we are inclined to take a view that hypocrisy has tainted the current leadership. Words have not matched your actions on issues of corruption and alleged abuse of funds in the administration,” he continued.
The Committee further expressed disappointment over allegations that the MCP is becoming an ‘instrument of oppression’, by stopping demonstrations. PAC also condemned the stoning of the Presidential motorcade.
“The general political atmosphere puts your political party on the exit stage unless something spectacular emerges. Even in your strongholds, the doubt on your winning is loud and clear. It is our hope that in the remaining months you can always turn around this perception. The doubt is real. The failures are massive and obvious. We are calling upon you to act on issues of national importance before the public rises against you. Patience has limits,” said Thawale.
“For us, the standard of living has gone down; the perception that the regime is corrupt still stands; that most civil servants are frustrated remains a fact; and that the fuel crisis continues is a reality. The leadership is lacking,” he emphasized.