By Pemphero Malimba:
The debate surrounding the State of the Nation Address (Sona), which President Lazarus Chakwera recently delivered, continued in Parliament Monday, with the opposition insisting that the Sona contained false claims.
The debate began when Member of Parliament (MP) for Thyolo Central, Ben Phiri, said that the address included both positive and negative aspects.
Phiri claimed that those who participated in the formulation of the Sona should be dismissed, as they had caused the President to misrepresent facts in the address.
“Whatever was included in the Sona was formulated through consultations with many government officials. I would like the President to dismiss those who participated in the formulation of the Sona,” Phiri said.
Rumphi West MP Yona Mkandawire commended the Malawi Congress Party (MCP)-led government for apparently creating a conducive environment for various stakeholders to implement development projects in his area.
“But it is unacceptable to present projects that were implemented by companies and organisations as if they were done by the government.
“It is also concerning to note that some projects were claimed to have been completed, such as Kamphenda Health Centre, which is still at the foundation level.
“The Rumphi-Nyika road was claimed to have been tarmacked for 18 kilometres, yet only one kilometre has been completed. This is not acceptable,” Mkandawire said.
On her part, Machinga East parliamentarian Esther Jolobala claimed that it was not true that the government had constructed 40 police houses in the district.
“There are only nine police houses at Mselema and these are still at the foundation level,” she said.
Mwanza West MP Joyce Chitsulo and Lilongwe City Centre MP Alfred Jiya commended Chakwera for delivering the Sona, which they said included various projects that had been completed in their constituencies.
Chitsulo, who is also Deputy Minister of Local Government, said she understood the sentiments of other MPs, saying the Sona had been presented in a different format compared to previous years.
“It is through the MCP government that we are witnessing development projects being completed. Currently, the government is constructing Mwanza Stadium, along with police and prison houses in the district,” she said.
Chitsulo then challenged other MPs to effectively utilise the Constituency Development Fund to implement development projects across the country.
Chakwera delivered the Sona on February 14, 2025, after which mixed reactions emerged, with some quarters claiming that certain details on development projects were not reflective of what was on the ground.
