Leader of opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa has asked President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to cancel this year’s Independence Day celebrations slatted for July 6, 2022 due to the prevailing economic conditions the country is going through and instead have a National Prayer Service to save the resources.

Nankhumwa said this in a statement made available to faceofmalawi.

In the statement Nankhumwa has said it is not on for the country to have the celebrations while many Malawians are suffering due to the devaluation and the rise in fuel prices on the market.

“I wish to suggest that the Government cancels the planned Independence Day Celebration activities on 6th July except for a National Prayer Service.

“Under these painful social and economic conditions, the Government should not be spending millions of taxpayers’ money on dining and wining in the name of independence celebrations when millions of Malawians cannot even afford a meal,” said Nankhumwa.

He added: “Malawians are not in a celebratory mood.”

Effort to talk to Minister of Information and Digitalization Gospel Kazako proved futile.