APM can as well create ministry of well-wishers – Muckraker

An influential newspaper columnist and respected journalism in Malawi, Raphael Tenthani, has urged President Peter Mutharika to just as well create the “ministry of well-wishers” with reports of generous “well-wishers” for the presidency.

Many “well-wishers” seek government favours in terms of business deals. They are willing to hand over large sums of cash to the corridors of power because they want influence.

Writing in his ‘Muckraking on Sunday’ published in the Sunday Times commented on the need for “well-wishers” to be harnessed officially.

He was commenting on the support Mutharika received from “well-wishers” in contributing to the K38 million budget for the president’s wedding.

“Never mind that millions in tax money still went to this wedding in the form of security, protocol and allowances and related costs for the hordes of government officials that graced the occasion.

“If Peter believes those officials love him so much they dug deep into their pockets just to be with him and his beloved Gertrude on their big day he is living in la-la land,” writes Tenthani.

The Muckraker said if K38 million could be raised in two weeks locally for a wedding “surely we have enough money in circulation only that it is being mis-directed.”

He adds: “So since Peter is having difficulties collapsing ministries into a sizeable cabinet of 20, let me do my civic duty and assist my dear president with one ministry: the Ministry of Well-wishers.

“Look, this ministry will combine departments of disaster preparedness, social welfare, people with disabilities and the elderly.”

The award winning columnist said its minister should Saulos Chilima, the vice president.

“I mean, if well-wishers can raise K38 million for an old man who can easily afford his own wedding, you mean they can fail to fork out K6 million to fix the morgue cold room and the faulty escalator at Kamuzu Central Hospital?

“With such a super ministry we will not have to be gallivanting half-way across the globe with a begging bowl. We can surely fund the 40 percent shortfall we always have every year.”

Former president Joyce Banda also benefited from the riches of ‘well-wishers’, who happily – and secretly, of course – helped to fund her foreign jaunts by paying for her to fly around in private planes.

Astonishingly, one of the planes turns out to be the former presidential jet that she sold off to such universal acclaim after coming to power in 2012.

However, there is an even bigger scandal involving ‘well-wishers’ – secret donations to political parties.

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