President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has warned corrupt public officers that his administration will not spare anyone who wants to frustrate his development agenda for this country.
Chakwera has since challenged government officials to either “walk and work with him in developing Malawi” or resign if they do not agree with his policies.
The President made the remarks in Chitipa on Thursday after a crop inspection tour.
Chakwera told the gathering that he was aware that there are some officials in the public service who are deliberately delaying procurement processes in order to frustrate projects his government is initiating to transform Malawians.
The President wondered, for instance, why it should taken nine months to process procurement agreements for road construction projects.
Apparently, Chakwera was responding to the request from Senior Chief Mwaulambia to have a 272-kilometres road to Tunduma constructed to a bitumen standard.
Mwaulambia said the road has become a source of embarrassment to the Malawi Government since “Tanzania has already done its part.”
“We are appealing to Your Excellency to consider prioritizing this road. Our friends in Tanzania have a very good road network up to the border. We also need to do our part,” he said.
The Senior Chief said the road is critical in the promotion of tourism in the district.
President Chakwera concurred with the Senior Chief, saying it is sad that politicians have used bad roads as tools for campaigning ahead of elections.
He assured that his administration will do things differently and he will not tolerate anyone intending to frustrate government projects.
“I must confess and apologize publicly that some of the road projects I promised during the campaign are failing to take off because there are no designs. We can’t start road construction work without designs. I am therefore directing Hon. Jacob Hara [The Minister of Transport and Public Works] and his team will make sure that construction work starts on this road within four months,” said Chakwera.
“Procurement must not take nine months. Within 21 days, make sure procurement processes are done. There should be no one to “sit on” this project,” he emphasized.
Chakwera said his administration is committed to transforming the lives of every Malawi, including those living in the periphery of the country, and that he will not tolerate anyone who is bent on frustrating his dream.
“We must bring development to the people within a considerable period of time. People must not be kept in suspense on development. As such, let me warn those who are deliberately delaying the procurement process in government that I will not keep watching this happening for good,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senior Chief Mwaulambia has commended President Chakwera for giving the mining sector a priority by, among others, setting up a mining board.