- Tells Nankhumwa to pay more attention to the details
Malawi Leader President Dr Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday went to Parliament Building in Lilongwe where he answered questions from legislators concerning the State of the Nation Address (SONA) he delivered on 17th February.
While in Parliament the President answered all the questions including those from Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa.
President Chakwera told Nankhumwa that he should pay more attention to details especially being someone who is Leader of Opposition.
He said he should always be on top of issues than repeating what was already tackled.
The President responded to questions concerning government’s agenda on mega farms, corruption fight, development and governance.
Responding to the question from Zomba Lisanjala MP William Susuwele Banda on plans that government has put in place to ensure that fight against corruption is not lost, Chakwera says government remains firmly committed in the fight against corruption.
He says government is strengthening prevention of corruption by strengthen capacity of institutions that are crucial in the fight against corruption. He says Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is just one of them but he also mentioned the Directorate of Public Officers Declaration and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The President also says government is strengthening the capacity of relevant institutions to prosecute cases . He says ACB recently advertised to engage more lawyers.
He says the ACB has 16 lawyers who can prosecute and three more private lawyers have been engaged to help in prosecution of cases.
Chakwera further says the office of the DPP is also being strengthen by bringing in more lawyers.
The President has also cited establishment of the Financial Crimes Court as another step taken to fight corruption. He says the court has been established to help fight corruption adding three judges have been engaged to manage the court.
Chakwera says it is not therefore right to say the country is not doing anything to fight corruption.
The President has also assured the House that he will make sure that development is shared equally in the country, saying he believes that development is for all Malawians to enjoy regardless of differences.
The President is mandated by Parliament’s Standing Order number 70B and Section 89 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi to appear before Parliament during a Budget Meeting of the Assembly and immediately before consideration of the Budget Estimates to respond to questions raised during debate of the State of the Nation Address.
However, President Chakwera is the only leader who has followed this mandate to the letter.