By Linda Kwanjana

Malawi leader President Dr  Lazarus McCarthy  Chakwera has urged citizens in the Country as well as political leaders to prioritize peace and unity and refrain from perpetuating violence against rival political parties in the country.

Speaking during commemoration of Umodzi Day  at Katoto Freedom Park in Mzuzu City on Thursday, Chakwera reaffirmed government commitment to combat violence and take right decisions to those found guilty of the vice.

“As a government, we are committed to take youths along in the positive development of this nation hence we will not tolerate using youths for personal selfishness,” he said.

While appreciating the role of some stakeholders in supporting youths initiatives that advocate for peace and unity, Chakwera expressed concern over actions by Civil Society Organisations that channel their energy on providing check and balance on developmental projects other than wasting their energy on cold wars arising from political disagreements.

Chakwera adds that his government is embarking on the work of distributing maize to 5.7 million Malawians who have been affected by hunger due to climate change, therefore he pleaded with CSOs and all stakeholders to hold hands and take initiative in preaching peace amongst all citizens.

Umodzi Day is an annual presidential initiative launched in 2023 which bring together all Malawians regardless of ethnicity, beliefs and values.

This year’s event was commemorated under the theme: “Cultivating a Culture of Peace through active youth engagement”.

By Durell Namasani

President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has expressed appreciation to local organisations and development partners, for their unwavering support and dedication in ensuring food availability to Malawians during this period of food security crisis.

Speaking during a presidential address held Wednesday evening at Mzuzu State Lodge, the President stressed the importance of seeking international support to address the humanitarian crisis the country is currently grappling with.

President Chakwera recognised significant contributions that Malawi has received from various development partners through the World Food Programme (WFP).

He said  WFP will publicly disclose the details of how and where the aid has been distributed.

He pointed out that Malawi has received substantial financial support from governments around the world through the World Food Program (WFP), including 11.8 million dollars from Sweden and the Netherlands, 7 million dollars from the United States, 3.8 million dollars from the United Kingdom, 1.9 million dollars from Japan, 1.6 million dollars from France, 1.5 million dollars from South Korea, and 1.07 million dollars from Germany.

Additionally, Norway and Iceland contributed 950,000 dollars, Denmark provided 750,000 dollars, Ireland donated 556,000 dollars, Switzerland contributed 500,000 dollars, and the African Development Bank donated 1 million dollars.

The President specifically commended partners such as Good Neighbors Malawi, Nkhoma Synod, Emerging Donor March Fund, Save the Children, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), BHA, FAO, Mary’s Meals, USAID, JBJ Foundation, ISRAID, and Caritas partners for their steadfast support.

He urged the partners to continue their efforts in mobilising support for Malawi from across the globe to alleviate the lives of Malawians.