Malawi opposition leader calls for unity of purpose

Leader of opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera has asked Malawians to unite amid devastation of some of the worst floods in a decade.

Chakwera, addressing journalists at the headquarters of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in Lilongwe where he is president, said his party was ready to provide “whatever support possible in these troubled times”.

He said MCP is geared to help government mobilise relief aid while supporting other government policy directives that will alleviate the situation.

The opposition leader hinted the party had initially planned to use yesterday’s press briefing to release a 22-paged document highly critical of the first year of Mutharika’s tenure in office, but opted to refocus on unfolding disaster.

“In these troubled times, the context of our culture sometimes demands that we should be engaged in finger-pointing, we in MCP would rather not do that, but focus on helping government and our colleagues in despair to find solace. As a country we need to unite,” said Chakwera.

He said he hopes to speak to or meet the President to offer support and discuss the situation.

However, Chakwera said the party would have loved to see the President declare a State of Emergency instead of a State of Disaster as he did on Tuesday during a special address to the nation.

He said the State of Emergency would permit government special powers to forcefully move other communities continuing living in flood-prone areas amid an on-going threat of further flooding.

Following the floods that have killed 48 people and displaced some 70 000 people, the President on Tuesday declared a State of Disaster revealing some 13 000 households in total had been affected while some 69 995 people rendered homeless.