Malawi: Independence Day Celebrations Cancelled

Malawi’s new president, Lazarus Chakwera, announced that all independence day celebrations would be cancelled and resources diverted to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The 65-year-old politician also scaled down on his inauguration ceremony – which was planned to coincide with the country’s 56th independence celebrations on Monday, 6 July, at a large stadium in the capital of Lilongwe – which will now be held at Kamuzu Barracks, with a small crowd of only 100 invitees.

In a televised speech, Chakwera said: “We will direct all the resources meant for the Independence Day celebrations to the fight against COVID-19.”

The east African country has 1 613 confirmed cases of the virus, and 17 Malawians have lost their lives.

Chakwera, a former theologian, won the 23 June 2020 general elections, after the country’s highest court ordered fresh elections following the controversial May 2019 results being declared invalid.

The official opposition, the Malawi Congress Party, won the elections with nearly 59% of the vote, dislodging the Democratic Progressive Party from power. Chakwera was sworn in on 28 June.

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