Chakwera blames national failures on pride, wickedness
President Lazarus Chakwera has blamed the country’s failure to achieve some developmental and governance goals on pride and wickedness, and has since urged the citizenry to practice humility to experience a breakthrough.
The President said this in his address in Lilongwe yesterday during an inter-religious service marking the National Day of Prayer which sought God’s interventions on the socio-economic challenges facing the nation.
He cited agriculture programmes as among initiatives that have been negatively affected by wickedness.
Said Chakwera: “We have fertile land in abundance, but we cannot use it to produce food to feed the world because any programme we set up to give our farmers inputs gets corrupted by our own wickedness and greed in the procurement process.”
He pinned his address by quoting Scriptures in which God urges King Solomon that “if my people will humble themselves…and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
In his address, the President also launched a thinly veiled attack on critics of the multi-billion kwacha Salima-Lilongwe Water Project whose financing has been rocked with controversy, including a court battle.
He also took aim at governance institutions accusing them of being “distracted by their own prideful desire to use their powers to fight useless personal wars with each other.”
The National Day of Prayer, observed under the theme ‘Malawi, a hopeful and resilient nation’, attracted Christian and Muslim clergy who led the service with renowned gospel quartet The Marching Soldiers and musician Violet Tengani among other the headline performers.
Delivering the main sermon, Living Waters Church founder Apostle Stanley Ndovi urged Malawians to support Chakwera’s administration if the country is to achieve success.
“Malawi needs a lot of prayers. Our President needs prayers. There’s no need to be fighting. Instead of pointing fingers we must hold hands with the President. We have a God fearing man. I am not saying that he is perfect,” he said.
Notable faces during the event included Vice-President Saulos Chilima, Chief Justice Rezine Mzikamanda and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo.
However, conspicuously missing were leaders of opposition which director of ceremonies Bishop Montfort Stima of Mangochi Diocese of the Catholic Church noted and rebuked.
Speaking after the President had left the room, he said: “The impression we are giving to the people is that this country is divided into two. The world of the opposition and the world of the ruling party.
“Olamulira akaitana mapemphero tiyeni tikapemphelere dziko lathu a opposition sabwera. [When the ruling group organises prayers, the opposition leaders do not avail themselves. They live in their own world, hoping to come into this world some day].”
The prayers which focused on asking God for a productive growing season came amid threats of El Nino, rough climatic conditions associated with dry spells and heavy rains.
