Give Chakwera space to govern—Kazako

Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako has asked Malawians to give President Lazarus Chakwera space to run the country as he is the one who will be held accountable if he fails to deliver.

The minister made the appeal in Lilongwe on Wednesday during a press conference when he was asked to comment on the cost and entourage of the President’s trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 35th Ordinary Session Assembly of the African Union scheduled to run from February 4 to 6.

Kazako said: “The most important thing is to have confidence in what the President is doing. Sometimes when you put so much pressure, you end up complicating things.

“Don’t forget that we voted for the President and we entrusted him that he is the one going to lead us.”

He said as time passes, for instance in 2025, Malawians will have to hold the President accountable.

“He will have to explain what he has done so far. So, sometimes for him to achieve the things Malawians expect him to do, there is a need to give him space to handle things his way,” Kazako said.

The minister also called on Malawians to stop assuming that there are a lot of expenses involved every time the President travels abroad, adding that the absence of foreign trips does not necessarily translate into saving money.

However, the minister could not disclose the number of people that will accompany the President, saying he did not have the information at hand.

Meanwhile, National Alliance against Corruption chairperson who is also Livingstonia Synod Church and Society executive director, Moses Mkandawire, has dismissed Kazako’s call that Malawians should stop focusing on travel expenses instead of benefits of the summit.

He stressed that Malawians are entitled to question the travel expenses and the President’s entourage, saying taxpayers fund the trips.

“Malawians need to know how many people are going and how much will be spent,” Mkandawire said.

He added that Malawians are not against Chakwera attending a forum for African leaders to discuss various issues affecting the continent, but all they want to know is how their money is being used.

During the summit, African leaders are expected to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on the continent and the possibility of African countries producing of Covid-19 vaccines.

Chakwera, who is also Southern African Development Community chairperson and fellow African leaders will also discuss security issues and the African Free Trade Area, among other issues.