The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has called on President Lazarus Chakwera to address Malawians directly and in honesty about the fuel crisis which has brought the economy down to its knees.

According to HRDC, the President’s silence on the matter has only added uncertainty and despair to the already suffering nation, “True leaders reveal their character in times of crisis, standing with the people and guiding them through adversity. Real leadership is shown in how crises are resolved, not in empty promises or repeated excuses.”

In a statement signed by HRDC Chairperson Gift Trapence, the government must treat the situation with urgency it deserves adding that this is the time for the President to step forward, acknowledge the severity of the situation and provide clear answers.

“The nation deserves to know when this crisis will end and it is evident that technocrats and ministers have failed in their duty. The minister of information falsely assured the nation that fuel supply would normalize by last weekend, a claim that has since been exposed as yet another falsehood,” reads the statement in part.

HRDC has also cited the Nsanje railway that Chakwera inaugurated months ago which was celebrated as a major step towards fuel distribution improvement but two months later Malawians are facing even a worse fuel shortage.

HRDC has therefore called for full accountability and immediate utilization of carbon credit funds to resolve the country’s worsening fuel shortages stating that Malawians deserve transparency and accountability on carbon credit revenue management.