Chewa chiefs hit at MCP leader
Chewa chiefs yesterday launched a scathing attack on leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera, describing his recent verbal attacks on President Peter Mutharika as baseless.
But Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka has said Chakwera spoke for Malawians, who are suffering, and are the best judges of Mutharika’s achievements.
Said Mkaka: “As a matter of fact, chiefs have already been paraded on the statement by Dr Chakwera. Furthermore, previous parades of chiefs and purported reverends, are a deliberate move by government to give an impression that chiefs from his own region [Central Region] are not happy with the statements he made, but Dr Chakwera spoke for suffering Malawians, who are the best judges”.
Led by Paramount Chief Lundu at the press briefing at Bridge View Hotel in Lilongwe, which was attended by 13 traditional authorities (T/As), the chiefs distanced themselves from statements Chakwera made on December 8, to the effect that Mutharika should resign because he has failed to govern the country.
In his address to the nation, Chakwera said the President is living in a fantasy in what he described as a ‘Mutharika Republic’, whose capital is the State House, where he is enjoying himself while Malawians are enduring a great deal of suffering under his administration.
In response to Chakwera’s statement, government came out with guns blazing accusing him of provoking and insulting the President.
Since government issued the statement, several interest groups, including church leaders have paraded themselves on public media castigating Chakwera.
According to the Chewa chiefs, whatever the leader of Opposition said does not have their blessings.
The chiefs also declared that no Leader of Opposition should be allowed to address any high-level gathering of chiefs in the country, saying only government officials should be allowed to address them, claiming that “after all, chiefs belong and serve the government of the day”.
The chiefs trashed suggestions that they had been bought by the government machinery, saying no one can buy them and that it is within their jurisdiction to comment on matters of national interest. n
Only in Malawi. What a pathetic people!! Are the chiefs still relevant? Agalu achabechabe. A Kaomba ndiye munthu opanda nzeru. He is being used as Muluzi used him in his attempt for a third term. Who cannot see the problems the country is facing as if there is no president and governing party? What a shame! Treason, my ass!! Go back to your villages and suffer with the people and stop being used by failures.
I couldn’t agree with you more Sehedstan………..it is obvious that the message that Chakwera gave really hit home hence all the reaction we are seeing from the DPP politburo……
And I can’t believe that APM the professor can sink so low to the extent of using Chewa chiefs to attack Chakwera………..am not sure who is advising APM to come up with these political blunders but my message to the DPP party is that your reaction is just making Chakwera even more popular……….
Malawians are not dull anymore……..at the moment the question that every Malawian is asking themselves is that, what sin has Chakwera committed to deserve this slandering and the answer they are getting is that there none………..
Methinks Chakwera hit a raw nerve. His so-called “address to the nation” — especially the Chichewa version — was a body blow to the DPP. I am sure they will do everything possible to block him from doing that again.
Having said that, it will be a very cold day in hell before I voted for the Kamuzu’s party. MCP has never really paid for its 30 years of misrule, IMO.