President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has challenged Malawians to check their attitude towards national development.

The President was speaking today at Umodzi Park in Lilongwe during a national service of worship in commemoration of Malawi’s 58th independence anniversary.

The Malawi head of state implored urged Malawians to be unified in shaping a prosperous and self-reliant nation instead of being spectators who point out shortcomings of government without offering solutions.

“On this 58th Commemoration of Malawi’s Independence Day, we stand at crossroads as a nation. We stand in the valley of decision and we must make a choice. We must choose what our conduct towards national development will be, whether we will sit in the stand as individual spectators to point out problems in our midst or run on the field as one team to help Malawi reach its goal of self-reliance and prosperity,” said President Chakwera.

President Chakwera further called upon Malawians to check their attitudes towards Malawians who are striving to make a difference in various spheres of lives.

He said: “We must choose what our attitude towards our fellow citizens will be, whether to mock Malawians who keep trying to make a difference even after failing publicly or cheer them on and ignite their faith in the success that will be theirs if they do not give up.”

This year’s independence celebration was scaled down to interdenominational prayers and other few activities as part of cutting expenses as directed by President Chakwera as part of his austerity measures.

Malawi, formerly known as Nyasaland, attained self-rule from the Britain in 1964. Over the past years the country has registered some strides in a number of areas such as education, agriculture, rule of law and infrastructure development.