Chakwela says god-like-leaders root cause of Malawi poverty

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President Dr Lazarus Chakwela said the root cause to the country's poverty is the tendency leaders who look upon themselves and gods.

He made the remarks on Sunday at Nathenje, Lilongwe when the party officials went to welcome him from a week long southern region campaign trail.

"The problem is that these leaders think that they can do anything at the expense of the people who put them into power even if it means stealing money meant for hospital drugs and other needs for a common person.

"We are tired of such kind of leaders who always want people to fret whenever they see them, it is high time that we give really power back to the people. Power that will see them having enough food for the whole year, power that they will be able to create wealth on their own and power that will create a lot of opportunities to every hard working citizen," he said.

To achieve that goal, Chakwela called on Malawians to forget regional boundaries and focus on the country's development as one.

"Unity is paramount in everything because we can not manage to stand up if we are not united, we will always let those that have been stealing what belong to us if we are not united and we will remain poorer in the next 50 years if such type of leadership continues.

"The key to all of this is for us to forget which tribe or region we are from. Let's vote for those who have the welfare of people at heart. Malawi needs a new leader who is clean and will rule this country for
the benefit of everyone," said Chakwela.

Among others, Chakwela said if those who are involved in Cash Gate are left to rule again, chances are high that they are going to steal more than they have done this time.

"When you are at the college, you always want to graduate to the university so just like in Cash Gate, those who have stolen will earn degrees and steal more if they will be will be given another chance.

"So we need someone who will empower the poor to enrich themselves and not wait the rich to feed them," he said.