Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera: Took Oath of Office as newly Voted President of Malawi at the Parliament Building of Lilongwe

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone- Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera took a vow as Malawi’s newly enacted president on Sunday, June 28th, 2020 at Lilongwe’s Parliament Building; swearing to render the country undivided to all.

“Time has come for Malawians to go beyond their dreams and make them come true. I am duty-bound by God and all of you to give you my best,” Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera said after taking an oath of office at the Parliament Building in the capital Lilongwe.

“I want to tell you that this new Malawi is a home for everyone whether you voted for me or not.”

Chakwera clarified that, he will constitute an administration that motivates not infuriates and listens to its people.

“I accept this call to serve you with joy and pledge to give it all my best,” he said, much to the applause of thousands of his supporters who came to witness the ceremony.

Chakwera, 65 of opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) won against incumbent – Peter Mutharika in the June 23rd, court-sanctioned presidential election re-run. Chakwera got over all 58.57% of the votes against incumbent Mutharika’s 39%. Mutharika, 80 is however to endorse defeat, and claims, the election was distorted with pandemonium. In addition, a certain prime court in the South African nation in February 2020 vetoed the May 2019 presidential vote in which Mutharika gained a victory due to abnormalities.

In a congratulatory message, Zambian President Edgar Lungu said Chakwera’s election is an affirmation of the trust and confidence that the people of Malawi have in his leadership qualities. Lungu wished the opposition leader’s triumph steers in a wave of democratic transition that the people of Malawi have been supporting for.

“Zambia and Malawi share strong brotherly bonds of friendship based on mutual respect. I, therefore, wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm my country’s commitment to maintaining strong bilateral relations that our two countries have continued to enjoy, for the mutual benefit of our two peoples,” Lungu noted in a statement.

Chakwera enlisted politics in 2013 after relinquishing as leader of the Charismatic Church Malawi Assemblies of God to compete for the presidency of MCP – a party that aide to emancipate Malawi from colonial Britain, and ruled for 31 years under dictator Hastings Kamuzu Banda until 1994.

He propelled MCP’s renaissance by integrating in young people into the party. But his iron grip to party supremacies, came under challenge by an internal rebellion from the

old guard, resulting in a breakaway group dragging Chakwera to court. Nonetheless, Chakwera won the court battles setting up for his 2014 showdown with Mutharika, and again in 2020 with Saulosi Chilima of United Transformation Movement as his running mate.

Blessing Chimsinga – a Political Scientist at the University of Malawi noted that Chakwera ” is a game-changer, he comes with no excessive garbage”.

Chakwera will officially take charge on July 6th, 2020 which was recorded as Malawi’s Independence Day, according to government officials.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent

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