President Lazarus Chakwera has said Malawi continues to pursue its development aspirations despite challenges which the country has faced.
He said it is against this resolve that this year’s independence day celebrations were themed, “Celebrating Renewed Unity and Patriotism,” to express the county’s eagerness to renew its strength and rise from the ashes it has been in due to several factors such as accumulation of huge debts, tax evasion, misreporting of figures at the central bank leading to cancellation of IMF programme, all by the previous administration, which affected food security, job creation and fiscal performance.
In his address during the 59th Independence Day celebrations at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Dr Chakwera said in its quest to realise economic transformation, Malawi adopted the ‘ATM’ strategy in which the country is investing in sectors Of Agriculture, Tourism and Mining.
The Malawi leader said upon assuming the highest office he waged a war against corruption to ensure all public resources are channelled towards public service delivery.
Chakwera said his administration has managed to increase tax exemption threshold to K100,000, reach 4 Million households with Affordable Input Programme, disburse loans to cooperatives and business groups through the National Economic Empowerment Fund ( NEEF) and increased Constituency Development Fund, which has seen an increase in infrastructures in constituencies, all in a bid to transform the country.
He said on its journey to economic recovery, Malawi is also investing in rail and road infrastructures in its entirety, and with its investment in the energy sector, blackouts are gone and with great friends like Tanzania Malawi will achieve more.
President Chakwera commended the Tanzanian President, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for accepting an invitation to be the guest of honour during this year’s independence day celebrations and described Tanzania as a special friend who always stands by Malawi as demonstrated during the time when Malawi was hit by devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy where Tanzania came to Malawi’s rescue with material support.
In her remarks, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan commended President Chakwera for his resolve of bringing back Malawi to normalcy.
She said Tanzania will always stand with Malawi as a reliable partner in development, saying people of the two nations are relatives by blood and neighbours due to colonial imposed boundaries.
She said it is time for the two countries to struggle for economic liberation and do more to ease trade between the two nations.
