Chakwera cancels public engagements

President Lazarus Chakwera has with immediate effect cancelled his scheduled public engagements to attend to merging national and regional matters.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zanga-Zanga Chikhosi, all public events the President was scheduled to attend, will be delegated to government officials.

In an interview yesterday, acting presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda confirmed the cancellation of all presidential public engagements.

But Kasunda could not spell out what emerging national and regional matters have disrupted the President’s published schedule.

“These issues concern the Office of the President and they are not for public consumption,” he said.

According to presidential diary released on Monday, Chakwera was this morning expected to preside over the commemoration of the World Aids Day at Bumba Primary School Ground in Rumphi after presiding over centenary celebrations of the Malawi Police at police headquarters in Lilongwe yesterday.

Commenting on the matter, governance analyst Blessings Chinsinga said there must be something serious to have prompted the cancellation.

He said: “Perhaps it is necessary [cancelling public engagement] given how the press statement has been framed. But certainly I think there are certain strategic national issues that have to be attended to. I think if the time is going to be used for that, well and good.

“As you know there are a number of outstanding issues that require some decisive action or strategic direction from the Office of the President to begin to deal with some of the challenges that we are facing as a country.”

On his part, social and governance commentator Humphrey Mvula believed that the President has cancelled his public engagements following criticism he has been receiving for trips he has been making on regular basis.

He said it is surprising that the President has not clearly indicated the actual issues he wants to concentrate on.