Lilongwe, Malawi — The truth behind the sensational claims that Kamuzu Palace had fallen into disrepair under President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration took a strange twist on Friday, after the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) abruptly cancelled a much-anticipated media inspection tour at the last minute.
The visit, which had been organized to allow journalists to see for themselves the alleged damage at the State Residences, was unexpectedly called off, leaving reporters stranded outside the palace gates.
At least fifteen journalists from major outlets — including Nation Publications, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Mibawa Television, and Malawi News Agency — had been invited for what was expected to be a straightforward inspection.
However, after hours of waiting, security officials informed the journalists that the visit had been cancelled because key personnel were not available.
Propaganda or Poor Coordination?
The cancellation has deepened suspicions that the earlier reports — largely pushed by media houses sympathetic to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — were part of a coordinated propaganda campaign meant to smear the former president’s predecessor, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.
Just two days earlier, the Times Group had published a front-page story claiming that President Chakwera and his team had left the Kamuzu Palace in a state of “total ruin” before leaving office — a claim the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) strongly refuted, calling it “malicious and fabricated.”
“If the government was so sure about vandalism, why stop the media from verifying the claims?” asked one journalist who was turned away at the gate. “You can’t cancel an inspection and still expect people to believe your story.”
Officials Backtrack
OPC Director of Communication Victor Sibale said the cancellation was due to “logistical challenges,” explaining that the President, who was meant to be part of the briefing, was away in the Southern Region. He assured the press that the tour would be rescheduled “at a later date.”
But critics argue that the sudden U-turn speaks volumes.
“What happened today exposes the DPP’s desperate attempt to use propaganda to paint a false picture,” said a political analyst in Lilongwe. “They wanted the media to spread a lie, but they knew real journalists would uncover the truth — so they pulled the plug.”
Public Doubts Grow
The incident has further fueled public skepticism toward the narrative that Chakwera’s administration vandalized state residences before leaving power.
Presidential spokesperson Shadrick Namalomba earlier confirmed that President Peter Mutharika is operating from his private home in Nyambadwe, Blantyre, while repairs are being assessed — but that explanation is doing little to convince an increasingly doubtful public.
“Malawians deserve transparency, not political theatre,” one commentator wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “If there’s nothing to hide, open the doors and let the cameras in.”
For now, the cancelled tour has raised more questions than answers — and exposed what many believe to be a propaganda stunt gone wrong.
