Chakwera says “I needed their services”, defends bringing family to London summit

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro

The President of Malawi Lazarus Chakwera has defended the unprecedented and shocking move of bringing his family to London for a virtual conference saying , “I need their services”.

Speaking to the BBC Hardtalk’s Sarah Montague, the under-fire President claimed there was nothing nepotistic about including four members of his family on a trip to London for a Global Education Summit in the United Kingdom (UK).

“Everyone has a responsibility like you just mentioned. It is not that I have included them, they are part because 8 brought my wife and I did not invite myself to this conference by the way. I have done conferences in Malawi virtually and over ten of them. This was an appeal to me to be present here personally

“I brought Malawians that are doing along with me on this trip and they are just as valuable as anyone here.

“I can tell you, each one of those has a specific function and the specific function is such that, for me to be able to attend a meeting like this, I need their services,” Chakwera said in defence.

Chakwera has included his daughter Violet Chakwera, an outbound air tickets sales agent whom he recently appointed as a diplomat to Brussels in Belgium.

Chakwera’s second born daughter, Violet Lillie is believed to be one of the family members who have taken a place meant for the Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka.

Moments before he travelled to the UK, controversy trailed the comments Chakwera made that “unreliable internet connection” in his country was the reason he embarked on the trip.

Although it was a virtual conference, the summit allowed a smaller number of delegates to attend physically. Nehanda Radio