Chakwera, APM extend Christmas wishes

President Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika have extended messages of goodwill to Malawians as they join Christians across the world in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ today.

In their separate messages released on Sunday, the two leaders have dwelt on the need for Malawians to love their nation and reflect on the love of Christ despite passing through a challenging time.

The President, in his message, acknowledged that Christmas has come when citizens are grappling with great and unjust inequalities between the rich and poor and the global economy is limping in slow motion.

He said: “It has come when inflation is at its highest, forcing us to adjust our budgets and plans to make ends meet. The news is dominated by bad governments that oppress their own citizens and invade other territories for selfish reasons.

“It has come when our very faith in God is under duress and when even those we look to for spiritual guidance have become causes of confusion and dismay.  As such, this Christmas has come to us when we may not be feeling like there is much cause for celebration in our world.”

But Chakwera, a cleric who quit the pulpit to join frontline politics, urged the nation to remember that all these hardships being faced mean that this year’s Christmas is like the very first Christmas for Jesus was born at a time when the world was in a state of disillusionment like the one the world is experiencing now.

“Jesus was born into a world that was groping in the dark, a world that was so lost that even his coming as a Saviour and King was seen by many as a bad and terrifying thing,” he said.

Chakwera added that Malawians should emulate Jesus Christ to meet the need that cannot be met any other way, calling on the nation to keep trusting him despite the situation.

In his message delivered through the Democratic Progressive Party presidential and party spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, Mutharika urged Malawians to celebrate the season wisely.

“All of us should celebrate the season wisely and always continue to love one another and love this country,” he said.

Christmas Day, commemorated on December 25, is one of the most important Christian and cultural holidays worldwide. It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.