Malawi cabinet defer new hefty salary ‘until economy improves’

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Goodall Gondwe has said Ministers and Deputy Ministers in have joined their President Arthur Peter Mutharika and his Deputy Saulos Chilima in deferring the implementation of the proposed salary increments until Malawi economy recovers.

Mutharika and his cabinet: Salary hike on hold
Mutharika and his cabinet: Salary hike on hold

The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) effected an 80 percent salary increment for the President and the Vice-President plus 168 percent hike for leader of opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera and Cabinet ministers. Members of Parliament were given a 376 percent pay rise.

The adjustments were effected on October 1 2014.

But Gondwe told reporters in Lilongwe that the new salaries will not be paid to any officer as of now.

“The ministers have made it clear that they will not receive their salary in arrears until the economy improves,” said Gondwe, who added that government will save K100 million with the arrangement by the end of October next year.

Gondwe who was accompanied by Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture, Kondwani Nankhumwa, said there will be no question of arrears and it should be considered as total cancellation as it stands at the moment.

“It is very difficult to say when exactly the economy will be back on track. Everything on the normalisation of our economy is being done on projections. It is high time we put a strong system in place. A system that will reduce and end fraud and corruption. It should not be business as usual,” explained Gondwe.

Meanwhile, President Mutharika has rejected a proposal by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) to increase salaries of office bearers in the National Assembly and the parliamentary service which would have seen Speaker Richard Msowoya receiving K3.3 million gross monthly package.

“Proposal not approved. Under the revised salary and allowances for elected personnel, your salary is pegged between that of minister and that of the Vice-President. Your basic pay is, therefore, K1 500 000 and your gross monthly salary is K2 080 000,” reads Mutharika in his hand-written response inscribed on Msowoya’s memorandum on 6th November, 2014.

The revised emoluments followed a meeting of the PSC held on October 3 2014 to discuss the matter and would have made the Speaker the highest paid public servant in Malawi with the President coming after him.

Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa had previously said the new salaries were in line with a budget that was passed by Parliament last September. The budget includes a deficit of $205m after donors suspended aid worth $150m.

Government  has pledged to continue working tirelessly to bring the confidence of the country’s development partners back into the economy and improve the living standards of ordinary Malawians.–(Additional reporting by Alfred Chauwa, Nyasa Times)

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Victor Chidyaonga
Victor Chidyaonga
9 years ago

Mphunzitsi mukulephera kumpatsa k30,000.shame on you

victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
9 years ago

Indeed you must ‘cancelled’ and not ‘defer’. Now the Government chief whip, the party leaders and the speaker should do likewise, announce that the planned increases are cancelled. The mps (malawi pigs) are the most greedy, non-remorseful, financially cruel
yet elected members of the society.

Tnt
Tnt
9 years ago

Dont Fool Us Here.Through Allowances You Will Still Make It To That Rise

Sad-Huss Mthunzi-wa-bowa
Sad-Huss Mthunzi-wa-bowa
9 years ago

Why is it that the President and Vice President are being refered to by their ofices and not by name BUT for the leader of opposition in Parliament, its always been Dr. Lazarus Chakwera. Is the salary increase only for Chakwera and not for the office holder? Do they want people to be angry with Chakwera for the salary increase?

Finito
Finito
9 years ago

The word I hate is ‘DEFFERING’ what I want is the word ‘CANCELLATION’

godfrey lg
9 years ago

Fodyatu uyu.

Kadzibwa
Kadzibwa
9 years ago

Zili pa Nyasaland! Zowomadi kuphunzira sinthawi zonse kumachotsa umbuli. UMBULI wa akuluakulu ukuwonekera poyera.

Proffessor
Proffessor
9 years ago

Koma these comedians

Gimbogo
Gimbogo
9 years ago

Mbuzi mungakane shatoyoti mwagula nokha ?

High percent MCP
High percent MCP
9 years ago

When it says cabinet defers – what is cabinet? Are MPs part of the cabinet? If not, will MP continue receiving the high payment? Journalists, go follow these people, ask questions, find out from pay roll how much these pipo r getting

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