AU chair won’t make Malawi rich, says Mutharika
Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika has said his election as chairman of the African Union (AU) would not make Malawi to be rich.
“There won’t be any chunk of money flowing into the country because we have assumed the chairmanship of the AU,” said Mutharika, Thursday on his return from the 14th African Union Summit where Malawi took over the chairmanship from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
“Our benefits would come when I as chairman of the Union travel to different countries to meet different heads of state and organisations,” the Malawi leader told a news conference at Kamuzu International Airport in the capital city, Lilongwe.
Finance Minister Ken Kandodo told parliament this week that Mutharika’s elevation to AU presidency will raise Malawi’s profile globally and “this should have beneficial effects on our economy.”
But Mutharika told journalists frankly: “After transacting the business of African Union, I will take an opportunity to address challenges that our different sectors of the economy are experiencing; and that would be our major benefit. However, after the end of our tenure of office, we will evaluate the benefits.”
Parliament which is sitting in the capital city, Lilongwe for a mid-term budget review had to adjourn the business to allow members to welcome the AU chairman.
The finance minister asked parliament to approve K500 million for Mutharika’s activities as AU chairman and K450 million to host a conference of African Finance and planning Ministers next month.
Economic analysts are pointing out that there is nothing that Malawi will gain from Mutharika’s AU chairmanship as the country will lose out financially in sponsoring the union’s activities.
Paul Kwengwere, Economics Association of Malawi vice chairperson told a local daily that the position would also distract Mutharika from concentrating on domestic issues.
“The downside to this is that President Mutharika will be so much involved in African issues that sometimes people may feel he is foregoing certain domestic issues,” he told The Daily Times.
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