Concerned Malawians have condemned controversial Mzimba North parliamentarian Yeremia Chihana for politicizing burial of the former Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe on Monday.
Chihana took advantage of the burial service to plead with Mutharika to appoint him into the cabinet if he wins the 2025 presidential poll, a political disgruntlement that has angered many Malawians, with his constituents describing the lawmaker’s conduct as a ‘disgrace to the area’.
“Kweni MP withu is a true definition of disaster. Kunyoza banthu pa yifwa yet he has a backlog of unfulfilled promises,” reacted one of the constituents on a WhatsApp forum.
Interestingly, Chihana has on several occasions pleaded with President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to appoint him into his cabinet even if he did not qualify for a ministerial portfolio.
At one time, he literally implored President Chakwera in the National Assembly to appoint him to the ministerial portfolio for three months, challenging that he would deliver the best to the nation.
But seeing that Chakwera is not granting his wish, the Alliance of Democracy (AFORD) member of Parliament (MP) switched his allegiance to the former president Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and has, since then, been castigating the Head of State at every given opportunity.
It was not surprising therefore that Chihana had taken his political disgruntlement to another level by heaping praises on the former president, claiming that the departed Gondwe had been accorded a state funeral because of Mutharika.
“I went to ask Gondwe recently about the economic problems that we have and he explained to me everything,” he said, further lambasting Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima for carrying of bags of fertiliser during the campaign trail with a promise to lower the price.
Chihana then asked Mutharika to appoint him into the cabinet if he wins the 2025 presidential poll.
But his remarks have shocked disappointed many Malawians who think the lawmaker is selfish and is only interested in fulfilling his ambitions at the expense of the ordinary citizens he is representing.
“Kwiza Kwa a MP withu it is a shame and vyachitima kuti pala munthu watondeka kuvwira ntchito ku constituency then ukukhumba kuphemba high position pa nyifwa. Positions are not asked, but are given because of a track record of individuals or it becomes a political appointment if you belong to the party. We should not be looking for positions to benefit our desire kweni tikhumbenge mipando to bring a value to society interms of development, unity among people and to alleviate masuzgo Ayo as a well learner leader can do on his own or by consultation with people. Yayi suzgo ilipo,” said another constituent.
Chihana could not be immediately reached for a comment.
