President Lazarus Chakwera yesterday held the second engagement with youths at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre amid calls from the youngsters for action not just talk.
Clad in black golf shirt, dark trousers and white sneakers, the President took questions from young people gathered in the room and others on social media on various issues, including corruption, delayed projects, inflation and foreign currency challenges.
One of the youths, Donnie Nkhoma, speaking through social media platform X said the President promised to root out corruption, but has not acted on officials accused of the vice.
In response, President Chakwera defended his record, saying some people have been arrested and others dismissed for corruption under his administration.
He added that his government has been providing funding to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while ensuring its independence.
Said Chakwera: “The President cannot be a police officer, a prosecutor or a judge, but what I have done is to make sure that all the systems are functional according to the law.”
Addressing a question from Grace Kamanga on delayed sports projects such as the Griffin Saenda Complex, the President said the 2025/26 National Budget will include allocations for the projects.
He further said the government will recruit teachers in the upcoming financial year and simplify young people’s access to National Economic Empowerment Fund loans
Chakwera added that he has been meeting various groups, including youths in the past, only that the current engagements are being conducted in town hall style.
“Some of the programmes we have implemented have come from meetings such as this one,” he said.
But some of the youth said they expect Chakwera to continue with similar engagements and to take action on the concerns they have raised.
Addressing the President during the session, musician Patience Namadingo said the youth might benefit from the engagement if he gets re-elected in the September 16 2025 General Election.
“But if you do not return, then this gathering will just be another show,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, National Youth in Mining president Rehema Patricks said her hope is that the event was not just aimed at box-ticking.
She said: “The expectation is that the President will take everything that has been discussed and implement them in the next budget.”
On his part, Malawi University of Science and Technology Student Representative Council president Alexander Kude said although Chakwera did not provide instant responses on some of the concerns, he was hopeful that the issues have been picked up and will be implemented.
The third meeting will be held on March 5 in Mzuzu and the series of engagements come under the theme: “Sona for the Youth: Our stake in taking development forward.”
