DPP responds to Chakwera national address with six ultimatum points for way-forward consideration

The Democratic Progress Party (DPP) maintains that the Party and Malawians in general have spoken over Dr Lazarus Chakwera’s administration’s failure to address many socio-economic challenges being faced but the President does not listen or do anything.

The DPP contends that “when it gets too hot in the ring, the best is to throw in the towel” and calls on the President to resign to save Malawians from further suffering.

Otherwise, the DPP issued six points that Chakwera should address that include reshuffling the Cabinet to be reduced to a maximum of 20 and “this must be the total compliment including the President, the Vice-President and Ministers”.

Secondly, all deputy ministerial positions should be abolished, saying this must be in line with the measures of austerity the President himself initiated last year.

“These ministerial positions are useless and a duplication of what other technocrats in the ministries do, said the statement issued by Shadric Namalomba, the DPP’s spokesperson.

The third is that the “ballooning contingent of presidential advisors be removed [as] they perfume no function whatsoever. In respect of the constitution of the Republic of Malawi, cabinet ministers are de facto advisors to the President.”

The fourth point is that the total number of personnel on foreign missions “be reduced to no more than five at each embassy”, saying “the DPP regime did that for five years and it worked”.

“Further beyond, no more new foreign missions should be established. Our bicycle economy has no luxury of taking up Lamborghini lifestyles”.

The 5th is that there is “no need for the establishment of the Presidential Private Sector Council”, arguing that the National Planning Commission “is already in existence and in it looks at private sector dynamism”.

“We have no appetite to provide a leeway whereby people pocket allowances, thus further draining the coffers of the country on tasks already being done by established entities.

“In fact, the ministry of trade and industry is also at the heart of liaising with the private sector.”

The 6th point is asked of the President to “stop the looting and plunder of public resources [and to] Investigate and prosecute all looters of public money without fear or favor”.

“Embark on total and complete reform of the Civil service delivery systems. Digitize all revenue collection systems we have.”

The DPP attacked Chakwera national address, saying the nation had the belief that it would “usher in the dawn of a new era of economic progression, rooting out corruption that has permeated the membrane of even the state house, cleaning the mess in public service delivery, removing deadwood in the cabinet and the era of infrastructure development”.

“Alas, a lost opportunity again. No sense of direction from the man at the helm of the state. The continued litany of rhetoric of promises was all the nation got.

“We will do this. We will do that. No direction. Absolutely senseless — in simple terms, the speech was, as usual, empty and a total reflection of the disregard of the suffering that Malawians are enduring due to governance failure by the incumbent regime.

“The Democratic Progressive Party, just as the entire nation at large, is appalled by this lack of decisive action at the time this country needs action. The nation is appalled by the lack of direction at the time when the health sector is in a crisis.

“The nation is appalled by lack of decisive action when the much touted AIP keeps on eluding the intended beneficiaries,” said the DPP, adding that the nation “is standing face to face with hunger and in the midst of such a threat, the man at the steering wheel of the country, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, can at best continue his usual mediocre leadership style of talking.

“We are compelled by the words of wisdom of the great Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika who said: ‘Let the works of my hands speaks for me’. Mr. President, a humble reminder from the DPP and the nation is that you have spoken for too long.

“We no longer have an insatiable appetite for words in a country that needs action. We humbly plea that your administration takes action on addressing the skyrocketing prices of goods and services.

“Our people, day by day, are drenching deep into the quandary of poverty. The continued mental instabilities leading to suicides are but a symptom of how people are becoming hopeless in a country and a regime that offered them hope only on paper and through speeches.”

The Party further allege that civil servants and teachers are “disillusioned and it is no secret that they will embark on a nationwide strike from 9th January 2023. We see no action being taken to avert this forthcoming crisis””.

The President was also reminded that hospitals are in “deplorable state as there is hardly no medication” and sees “no action being taken to address the matter”.

“Even the cholera pandemic has showcased the unreadiness of this regime to deal with matters of priority. In the midst of all these pains and challenges, we have, in the state house, a president who prides in speeches, extensive local and international travels and continued blame games.

“It is imperative to remind the president that we are not at the beginning of his regime; we are at the half time of his regime. We have seen no progress.

“We have seen the economy nosediving; the service delivery surviving at the mercy of the patriotism of public servants who are least funded and underpaid.

“We have seen the dominance of nepotism; the absolute disregard of the words of wisdom; the continued establishment of commissions and other presidential guiding bodies which are but a replication of other bodies already on the ground.

“All we have seen, is that we have seen nothing in as much the fulfilment of the campaign promises is concerned,” said the statement.

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