Why Mashujaa Day Chief Guest is Facing Trouble in Home Country

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A Collage of Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera and President Uhuru Kenyatta
Kenyans.co.ke

The President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, is set to arrive in the country on Tuesday, October 19 for a three-day-visit.

Chakwera, who will be in the company of his wife, First Lady Monica Chakwera, will be the Chief Guest in this year's Mashujaa Day Celebrations on October 20 to be held in Kirinyaga County.

However, the Malawian Head of State faces trouble in his home country over his forthcoming international travel, with citizens expressing anger over what they termed as misuse of public resources.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta(l) and Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera at the 2021 Global Education Summit
Lazarus Chakwera

However, Chakwera has received backing from his government. The Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako, insisted that the visits were crucial as such high-profile travels were key for the country to improve its international relations.

"People need to understand the fact that such trips accord the President an opportunity to discuss some key issues that will help bail out Malawi," said Kazako. 

Kazako added that his boss appreciated the nature of the meetings and the need to attend them physically. He further explained that Chakwera did not travel to squander public resources but was in search of solutions to problems facing the country.

His travels have attracted both support and ridicule in equal measure. Some citizens stated that the meetings would help put Malawi on the international map.

Others claimed that Chakwera was already going against his promise to the Malawian people. Thy claim that he should focus on the national  problems and instead send Vice President Klaus Chilima on the trips.

"I think Malawians have no much concern with international ones but rather nationals. He ought to live above his words, the way he used to criticised the former President, " one Malawian stated.

"Those travels will not benefit Malawians as long as the leader is poor minded, we have seen African leaders just staying in the office but country developing, " another stated in a public comment.

"This guy is a motivational speaker contrally different what is happening on the ground," and "He will be punished by the same votes that takes him into government," were also among comments shared by the citizens online.

The trip to Kenya is part of a ten-day international travel by the Head of State. Chakwera will also be visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Scotland on various duties.

In UAE, he will hold a meeting with Maimuna Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of the United Nations Humana Settlement Program. Chakwera is further expected to deliver a keynote address at the Malawi Investment Forum.

Still, in Dubai, he will attend the Fifth Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Community between October 24 and 27 as well as meet businessmen in the UAE capital.

The President is then expected to attend the 26th Session of the Conference of Parties and proceed to have talks with the First Minister.

In Kenya, the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakango, introduced measures to restrict international travel by Members of Parliament (MP) and state officials. However, a report by Nyakango's office revealed that the spending by MPs hit a record high between April and June 2021.

International travel is part of the many ways MPs use to increase their pay. When they travel, they earn per diem.

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An Undated Image of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (left)and Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera
Lazarus Chakwera