President Lazarus Chakwera yesterday led Malawians in celebrating the 61st Independence Anniversary with a plea for patience if his administration is to build solid foundations for the future.
Speaking at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, the President stressed that a new Malawi cannot be built without discipline and strong values.
He observed that some people vandalise infrastructure on newly-constructed roads due to a lack of discipline, adding that it is disappointing that some known vandals and looters escape criticism and are sometimes cheered on.
“Dishonesty and lies have engulfed our country. We have become a people who just want to fight each other, others wielding machetes and others perpetrating violence just because they don’t agree on an issue,” said Chakwera.
In the address, the President appealed to Malawians to learn peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
Botswana President Duma Boko, who was the guest of honour at this year’s celebrations, encouraged Malawians to pursue small acts of courage for national renewal.
He acknowledged Malawi’s difficult journey towards prosperity, saying the country ought to have been a prosperous and inclusive nation but it is not there yet.
“A revolution is not only born from the thunder of grand gestures alone, but also from the steady and relentless rhythm of small acts of courage,” said Boko.
Earlier, Minister of Homeland Security Ezekiel Ching’oma, who chaired the ministerial committee that organised the event, commended Chakwera’s leadership and called him a beacon of hope for the nation’s future.
The celebrations featured a military parade, traditional dances, live bands and an international football match between Malawi and Botswana.
Meanwhile, Youth and Society (YAS) has rued high unemployment levels among youths and corruption in the country 61 years after independence.
YAS executive director Charles Kajoloweka in a statement dated July 6 2025 took stock of development gains in the six decades of independence.
He said: “Youth unemployment remains staggeringly high, despite policy after policy promising jobs. Young people are demanding fair opportunity, not handouts. They do not wish to replace one elite with another, but a Malawi that works for everyone.”
Kajoloweka also condemned deteriorating public service delivery, saying billions of public resources are lost to corruption while the promise for public sector reform has long been dead.
