PresidentLazarus Chakwera is ready to reduce his ‘unnecessary’ presidential powers but he is waiting for the laws to change, State House has said.
Press Secretary to the Malawian head of state, Brian Banda responding to questions from journalist during State House weekly briefing on Monday said President Chakwera is committed to fulfil his campaign promises.
“President Chakwera will cut to size his presidential powers as promised during the electoral campaign period but he is only waiting for the law to change in that regard.
“Currently, the president is acting within the current law legal framework which gives him powers to be installed as a Chancellor of universities in Malawi.
“But that is not what the President want. He wants this to change. He is only accepting to do this because ‘things’ have to be done and people have to graduate and as enshrined in the laws, as the President, he is duty bound to preside these academic activities until the new law comes into force.”
The Presidential press aide said President believes in the rule of law adding that the process to have the law on presidential powers changed to ensure that the Republican President does not wield unnecessary and too many powers.
During the presidential campaign last year, Chakwera, to woo voters’ electoral favours, pledged to the masses to slash some of the presidential powers when voted into power as president.
Said Chakwera:” When I become President, I will trim some of the presidential powers. The president has too many powers, some of which are not necessary.
“There is no need for a president to the Chancellor of every university in the country. We can give such powers to the academics.”.
But since assuming the presidency, Chakwera has since gone against his promises by being installed firstly as Chancellor for Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource formerly Bunda College of Agriculture then secondly as Chancellor of University of Malawi and thirdly Chancellor of Mzuzu University.
Banda, however, emphasised that President Chakwera will cease to be the chancellor of the Universities once the laws are enacted into effect.
State House conducts regular press briefings in order to acquaint the media with what the president has been doing or what he will do in the next couple of days coming.
This is the first time in history of Malawi for the State House to be involved in such regular briefing on a weekly basis so as to keep the nation abreast of what is going.