Africa-Press – Malawi. Former President Peter Mutharika has urged President Lazarus Chakwera to call for national dialogue on ending persistent blackouts the country is experiencing and the former president has also told Chakwera that he is ready to provide experts who can help on the same.
This is according to a press statement released on Tuesday August 30 signed by Mutharika’s Spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba. In the statement, Mutharika who is also leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said Chakwera and his Tonse led government are responsible for electricity blackouts the country is experiencing now.
The former president wondered why the Tonse government thought of cancelling the only lifeline contract with Aggreko which was providing 78 megawatts of power to the national grid, when the country was already in shortfall of power.
He said it is sad that Chakwera led government made decision when the Nation had already lost 129.6 megawatts of power at Kapichira Power plant on 24th January 2022 due to the devastating Cyclone Ana that hit some parts of the country.
Mutharika then indicated that there is need for President Chakwera to call for a national dialogue where stakeholders will discuss solution to the challenge which is now over seven months old.
“It is for this reason that His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika calls upon His Excellency President Dr Lazarus Chakwera and his Tonse government to yet again exercise leadership by addressing the electricity blackouts immediately.
“His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika invites the Tonse government to call for national dialogue involving all key stakeholders to discuss solutions to end this problem of electricity blackouts. Our president is ready to provide technical experts from Democratic Progressive Party, should president Chakwera merit it.
“A decisive leadership does not cry in public. A decisive leadership cannot cancel a contract for 78megawatts without any replacement,” reads part of the statement.
Mutharika in the statement also faulted the Tonse government for accusing whom it called the patriotic civil servants working day and night to produce electricity and lighten homes of political sabotage, claiming a decisive leadership does not frown on challenges.
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