Chakwera ends deadlock in Malawi parliament: ‘Persuades MPs to put national interest first’

Business returned to normal in the afternoon of Tuesday after Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera told the opposition bench to put national interest first before personal interest.

Chakwera: Let's put national interest above personal interest
Chakwera: Let’s put national interest above personal interest

The House resumed seating at 2pm but business was derailed as opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Peoples Party (PP) putting pressure on government to give them a K3 million loan each and raise their sitting allowance from K50000 to K80000.

The legislators wasted a good one and half hours refusing to discuss the national budget presented by Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe on May 27.

They threatened not to pass the K1.1 trillion budget until their demands were met.

Gondwe then met the House committee that deals with the welfare of the legislators and the deliberations resumed later.

The MPs get a K50000 subsistence allowance every day when parliament is meeting or when they are in committee meetings. They also get K1.5 million as basic monthly salary each in addition to K400 per kilometre for their motor vehicle .

Deputy Leader of the House,  Kondwani Nankhumwa said the government cannot meet the demands now.

“The state of  the economy do not allow us to meet the demands now. We will do that in future,” he said.

Nankhumwa said delays in passing the budget as planned by the opposition would affect the poor as government will not be able to buy maize for the 8000 vulnerable people on time, the provision of subsidized farm inputs would delay and procurement of drugs would also be affected among key issues.

The opposition members of parliament who spoke in the House cited the high cost of living as reason for their demands.

Cabinet ministers tried in vain to force the parliamentarians back to business.

But Chakwera stood up and told his subjects to go back to work.

He told the protesting MCP and PP legislators that they should put their personal interests second and national interests first. This was soon after Gondwe had just come from a meeting with the House political leadership on the same.

Immediately after this, the chairman of Budget and Finance Committee Rhino Chiphiko presented his statement to the House in reaction to the budget statement.

However, the House was prematurely adjourned 45 minutes before time after only one MP, Blantyre City Central MP made his contribution because other legislators were not ready with their contributions.

The House has since been adjourned to Wednesday at 2pm.

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Masozi Mwenifumbo
Masozi Mwenifumbo
7 years ago

Our heavenly Father Yahweh, bless you Man Of God, Honourable Dr Lazarous Chakwera for the maturity.

Joseph Dimba
Joseph Dimba
7 years ago

Personally I do understand our Mps. Indeed the cost of living is high and thanks for the work that you are doing. However, I feel like now is not the time to demand more money since our economy ain’t on the right track… I mean where will the govt source those funds from?? At the end of the day is us suffering with higher school fees and taxes making our lives harder than before….. please our Mps don’t be ungrateful… focus on what’s best for everyone

TMAN
7 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Dimba

I believe old habits die hard,opposition in Malawi equals money other than peoples welfare.You mean it took Chakwera to have a private talk to wake up, and advise his dogs .Shame

Douglas Ndindi
Douglas Ndindi
7 years ago

Most of these so-called MPs claim to be God fearing. Are they really? I have a message for them, and it is this: you guys are busy representing yourselves rather than your constituents. Go on. The rest of us will turn to God to represent us, and we shall see what will happen to you then. Moreover, this is why some of us are deciding that during the elections we shall only be voting for the president. Nanga MP wa chiani? Kuti azitani?

Praise
Praise
7 years ago
Reply to  Douglas Ndindi

Zomangoti Ambuye adziwa chochita ndiye zimene zimabwezeretsa Malawi mmbuyo. Your colleagues out there act. Not we will turn to God

Barnaba
Barnaba
7 years ago
Reply to  Douglas Ndindi

Amen

Inu
Inu
7 years ago

There are many many people in Malawi who deserve to be paid better because they contribute positively to this nation. But these thieves in parliament deserve nothing. How many people in Malawi receive the kind of salaries and perks that these thieves get? What qualifications do they have? Wake up sleepy Malawians. Do not let these crooks get their way. If there was a time to do a vigil it is now. In fact, we need to recall them. We only need member of parliaments who are there to serve the interests of Malawians. Every donor is concerned that of… Read more »

Ine
Ine
7 years ago
Reply to  Inu

I seriously like your comment.

Nkuluzado
Nkuluzado
7 years ago
Reply to  Inu

What are you doing iweyo?

Bikoo
Bikoo
7 years ago
Reply to  Nkuluzado

Nkulu zado, M ukutanthauzanji kamba iwe, you mean those thieves angamanene zoonjezeledwa ndalame momwe amalawi akuvutikilamu????? stupid!!

Chalume
Chalume
7 years ago

If the MPs are lamenting the high cost of living, who will advocate for the common Malawian who does not earn – per month – anything close to the MPs’ daily allowance?

stupid fools
stupid fools
7 years ago
Reply to  Chalume

If you thought MPs are the mouth piece for the poor then you must leave in lala- land these fools are there to enrich themselves. Anybody in their right mind, or anybody who cares for the poor wound not ask for that kind of ridiculous money, that is why this contry will never develop. Mr Chilima what is going on with government reforms????? or is it business as usual

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