President Dr. Joyce Banda has urged chiefs in the country to promote unity and fight corruption if they are to assist in developing the country.
Dr. Banda made the remarks on Wednesday at Chintheche ground during a joint elevation ceremony of Senior Chief Mkumbira and Senior Chief Fukamapiri of Nkhata Bay District.
The Malawi leader said chiefs should be in the forefront curbing harmful cultural practices, fight against poverty, fight against corruption and promote peace and unity.
“I will not hesitate to remove chiefs that promote hatred and violence amongst the people,” Dr. Banda warned.
The President said that Chiefs need to be given special recognition, hence her decision to elevate chiefs in the country and that includes 20, 000 traditional leaders that were elevated recently.
On the economy, Dr Banda disclosed that it is her wish to see one day that the country’s economic growth reaches 15 per cent from the current six percent.
“I don’t want Malawi to go backwards in terms of economic growth, which is currently at six per cent. My dream is that one day the country’s economic growth should be at 15 percent,” Dr Banda stated.
The Malawi Leader explained that when she was taking power the economic growth was at 1.8 per cent which she said was not good for a country like Malawi with foreign exchange reserve of three days.
“When I became the president of this country I took some risks which were painful but currently we are bearing good fruits, with the economic growth of six per cent and three months forex reserve,” Dr Banda explained.
She however, thanked Malawians for giving her support for the past two years she has been in power.
Speaking earlier, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Rachel Mazombwe Zulu thanked the State President for putting the welfare of chiefs at heart.
Zulu disclosed that apart from the 20, 000 traditional leaders that were elevated by the State President recently, government will soon elevate additional 40, 000.
“Shortly, Government is going to elevate additional 20, 000 chiefs before elevating another group of 20, 000 chiefs to make a total of 60, 000,” Zulu disclosed.
The State President Dr. Joyce Banda elevated Traditional Authority Fukamapiri and TA Mkumbira to Senior Chief recently and now Nkhata Bay District has three Senior Chiefs including Senior Chief M’bwana.
