By Watipaso Mzungu

Malawi’s most renowned and celebrated Governance and Human Rights Advocate Undule Mwakasungula has commended the candidness and honesty President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and the leadership of the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) demonstrated during their recent interface meeting at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

Leaders of the quasi-religious body met President Chakwera on Monday during which the two parties discussed a number of issues affecting Malawians. Among others, PAC chairperson, Monsignor Dr. Patrick Thawale, commended the Head of State for the infrastructure developments his administration is implementing to change the face of Malawi.

Thawale cited construction of modern roads in the country’s major cities, particularly Lilongwe, and others as a big plus to his government.

However, the Roman Catholic cleric expressed disappointment with failure by the Chakwera administration to heal the national economy, resulting in worsening of living standards for the majority.

Reacting to the interface meeting, Mwakasungula commended both parties for demonstrating willingness to collaborate in addressing challenges that ordinary citizens are facing.

“PAC plays an important role as a watchdog body, ensuring that leaders are accountable to the people. It is not an issue to see PAC actively addressing issues affecting Malawians. Their remarks when they met the President reflect national concerns that many other Malawians have also been expressing,” he reacted.

But Mwakasungula was quick to point out that many of the concerns PAC highlighted, such as corruption, economic challenges, and gaps in service delivery were not new, and that without politics, most of them were inherited from previous regimes with the current government struggling to deal with them due to a number of national and global factors.

“These concerns have been echoed by other actors in Malawi’s as such, PAC’s remarks should not necessarily be seen as ground-breaking but as a continuation of an ongoing conversation about the need to address the challenges as a country. What stands out in this situation is PAC’s decision to engage directly with the President. This approach shows the value of dialogue and collaboration in addressing national challenges. Criticism alone cannot bring change, but engaging in constructive discussions with leadership offers an opportunity to identify solutions. In meeting with the President, PAC has demonstrated that dialogue is an effective way to share advice and recommendations. This is a step in the right direction for promoting cooperation and building consensus on how to address the pressing issues Malawi faces,” he emphasized.

Mwakasungula commended PAC for acknowledging the strides President Chakwera and his administration has made over the past four years.

He appealed to Malawians, including faith leaders, to consider focusing their attention on providing action-oriented suggestions to help address the challenges the country is facing, citing the need for enhanced commitment and measures to tackle corruption, improve economic policies, and boost service delivery.

“At the same time, PAC should continue playing a key role in promoting unity and hope among Malawians, as it is one of the respected voices. It is also important for Malawians to view governance as a shared responsibility. Leaders at all levels must listen to feedback, while citizens must actively participate in nation-building. Constructive engagement, rather than divisive rhetoric, will be the key to solving Malawi’s challenges.

“PAC’s meeting with the President is a reminder of the need for continuous need to engage and address our challenges. Their engagement with the President is a positive example of how dialogue could be used to address challenges. While criticism is important, it should be coupled with hope and a collective commitment to making things better for the nation,” Mwakasungula concluded his statement.