Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati has admitted that the country is passing through difficult times, saying all this is as a result of the sharp increase in population and the culture of handouts embraced by Malawians.

Kaliati said this on Monday during a media briefing held in the capital Lilongwe.

In her speech, Kaliati who looked unmoved with the situation in the country said neither government nor any right thinking Malawian can dismiss the fact that a number of sectors such as health, education and agriculture have derailed.

She said Malawians should understand that the country has reached at this end due factors that have existed in Malawi for a number of years, saying finger pointing won’t help matters.

Kaliati said everyone in the country should take blame on the challenges the country is going through and not the President only.

“We are not the first country to face such challenges, but if we make a strong resolve to join hands, we can come out of this situation smiling,” said Kaliati.

Meanwhile right activists have trashed Kaliati’s line of thinking, saying President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika should come out of his cocoon and accept that Malawi is in crisis.