By Twink Jones Gadama
In a surprise move, President Lazarus Chakwera has withdrawn part of his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that was being queried by critics.
The announcement comes after widespread criticism of the SONA, with many accusing the President of presenting a misleading picture of the state of the nation.
Speaking during President Question Time, Chakwera acknowledged that he is not immune to mistakes, just like everyone else.
“Madam Speaker, I have never claimed to be an angel and so are other leaders.Those who are looking for a leader who is an angel should vote for someone else this year,” he said.
However, the President also fired back at his critics, accusing them of trying to gain political mileage by accusing him of lying.
He challenged the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw parts of his speech where he accused him of lying.
The withdrawal of part of the SONA is seen as a significant climbdown by the President, who has been under pressure to defend his address.
The opposition has been vocal in its criticism of the SONA, with Leader of the Opposition George Chaponda describing it as “talk is cheap, lies have short legs”.
The controversy surrounding the SONA has highlighted the deepening divisions between the ruling party and the opposition.
The opposition has accused the President of presenting a misleading picture of the state of the nation, while the ruling party has defended the address as accurate.
The withdrawal of part of the SONA is likely to be seen as a victory for the opposition, which has been pushing for greater accountability from the President.
However, it remains to be seen whether the move will be enough to appease critics and restore trust in the President’s leadership.
As the debate over the SONA continues, one thing is clear: the President’s leadership is under intense scrutiny, and he will need to do more to convince Malawians that he is committed to transparency and accountability.
In related news, the opposition has been calling for the President to withdraw the entire SONA, citing inaccuracies and misinformation.
It remains to be seen whether the President will heed this call, or whether the withdrawal of part of the SONA will be enough to diffuse the controversy.
