LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Opposition parties have faulted President Lazarus Chakwera Tonse’s Alliance government for failing to get advice which continues to land on deaf ears.
Responding to the Finance Minister’s Mid-Year Budget statement, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Ralph Jooma said the party is working within the mandate by giving advice to the Tonse Administration that is constitutionally charged with the responsibility of policy implementation “but it seems the advice lands on deaf ears”.
Jooma said the Tonse Administration is the problem, not the opposition parties “For the past three years, they have been offering pieces of advice to the Tonse Administration but they have chosen to be non-respondent, insensitive and indifferent”‘
He said being in the opposition will not abandon its responsibility to the citizens.
“We are a true representation of our people who are currently sleeping on empty stomaches yet they were promised three meals a day.
We represent the majority of the Population who are Jobless yet they were promised 1 Million Jobs in the first year of the Tonse Administration,” said Jooma
He observes further that the 44% Kwacha devaluation has hit farmers very hard and he is sure a good number of them have given up farming this Year which means the country’s recovery hopes for next year have already started diminishing.
Echoing the same, United Democratic Front (UDF) Ishmael Mkumba said the Chakwera government must begin to be realistic and honest especially when dealing with locals’ lives.
Mkumba said life was already difficult but it is getting even more difficult for the ordinary Malawian due to the recent 44% devaluation.
He adds that hospitals continue to lack essential medicines and schools lack basic learning materials.
“We need to deliberately give more government business contracts to indigenous Malawians despite their political and regional affiliations because Malawi will never become financially independent if Malawians remain poor,” said Mkumba.
In his response, Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) spokesperson, Yeremia Chihana urged the Tonse government to have a listening ear to resolve the problems which Malawians are facing.
Chihana therefore asked all the political parties in the house to join hands to eradicate problems that Malawians are facing regardless of party affiliations.
