Tembo says Malawi should not accuse foreign countries for its economic mess
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president John Tembo has said President Bingu wa Mutharika government should not accuse foreign countries on the crippling foreign currency and fuel shortages.
The problems have prompted the government to ban all foreign trips by public officials and affected Mutharika’s trip to attend Commonwealth Heads of government meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Where has foreign exchange gone? Let people know,” said the veteran politician.
“But don’t accuse foreign countries as being responsible for the mess we are in today in Malawi,” said Tembo.
Malawi government blames Mozambique as being esponsible for the country’s fuel woes, claiming that fuel has been held up because of congestion in the ports of Nacala and Beira. The claim was strongly denied by Mozambique authorities.
Tembo in remarks made on Capital Radio said the ban of all foreign trips by government officials is not going to help save the much needed foreign exchange.
“It is not. Because the amount of money spent by civil servants on trips is not the major problem. But the major problems that Malawi has, are not caused by civil servants, whether in their trips, allowances and so on,” he said.
“Yes it’s good to reduce expenditure, control expenditure but to use that as main reason, no!”
Tembo questioned President Mutharika for presidential jet purchase at the tune of about US$15.9million.
“Where did he get the money to buy the plane which he has?” wondered the MCP president.
“I don’t remember parliament passing the budget and money which was used to purchase the presidential jet. Because an item like that comes to parliament as a specific item for the whole country to take pride in for a Head of State to have a new jet.
“After all, I have dealt with purchase of plane before, both as minister of finance and chairman of Air Malawi. We had to bring to parliament specific items for approval.”
He said: “For instance, Kwacha that plane we are using now, I negotiated for its purchase myself and parliament had to pass authorization bill for the loan which was used to buy that plane.
“Who can tell me now that you can hide in the budget a major item as a purchase of a plane?”
Tembo called on government o be democratic, transparent and be open to its own citizens.
Talking like this is the main reason you are no longer the Leader of Opposition. You know too much. Look at the current Leader of Opposition Confusion Kayembe, and check what he is busy talking on the radios. He is too young to deal with DPP.
Tembo ukuyankhula ngati ndani…..we dont want you to overshadow new leader of opposition. nthawi yonseyi unali kuti? musiye mwana alamule!!you are now a nobody just like me……..kapumeni tinatopa nanu!!!
Mpumulo Ndatopa,
Whether leader of opposition or not, Tembo as a Malawian, is entitled to his views on issues affecting Malawi although I want him to retire from active politics but not through government machinations.
VUTO NDILAKUTI GOODWELL GONDWE WAS REMOVED FROM THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, KUNALIBE MAVUTO AZA FOREX. THIS SHOWS IT WAS GOODWELL WHO WAS STEERING THE ECONOMY AND NOT BINGU! HE IS NOT AN ECONOMIST!
Good point Mr Tembo, keep it up!
This is waht you cpuld have been doing JZU instead of the section 65 madness!!!
Tembo is making sense, but he need to retire. Kapumeni Baba.
As the Ngwazi is still bent out to sort out with people from the Northern region through the infamous quota system, next in his filing range will be the North and its people for shortage of foreign currency.
This president, how about the blame on BJ on tbe abandoned Shire-Zambezi Waterway Project? With the quota system, more woes are to come. One cannot throw away to the dogs the credibility of Maneb, a universal system of assessing and selecting candidates to tertiary institutions. Instead he opts for the sinful, draconian quota system and you expect no suffering? Currently, boys and girls who wrote MSCE are stranded, curse the devil everyday and are not happy seeing you on TVM or hearing you on MBC and you everything can be rosy? I can see you have a troubled conscience and this quota system will haunt you till very late. Do you that Tembo is still haunted by forcibly sending teachers from the North back to the north?
Very reliable sources say that our trusted major partners of the G12 fame are not happy with the prouncements against the north and the quota system whose aim is educational homicide against the people of the North. Oh God spare our country!
Iwe, ukutisokosera ndi quota yakoyo. Muja wayambira kulira sunatope? Amene akudana ndi quota sangawine upresident. This is why even JZU does not want to talk about it.
JZU amakonda quota bwanji sanawine upresident.
Leaders of Iran, Venezuela declare solidarity against U.S.
http://www.startribune.com/world/74076182.html
Fight like these people even if they can cal you a devil, there is more devil in good people. Without real fight, people will not realise there true self.
The thing is Baba you have to forget about Powers to rule Malawi, your powers have limits, that is how things will be, change yourself and you will change more as a new walking being on earth.
Life goes on
He is talking sense, but he should retire. Akapume b/c whatever the case, he will not rule this country.
yES HE WILL NEVER RULE THIS COUNTRY.but we need people like him to keep Govt in check other wise things like fuel shortage will go on forever.Don’t think current Opp. leader has the guts to stand up and ask for answears only showerings thanks.BABA Tembo MUSATOPE IFE WE NEED ANSWEARS NOT BLAMING THE WEST.MUGABE STYLE SITIKUYIFUNA PA FLAMES!
How I wish his home village be dermacated into Mozambique.Kodi a boarder reaffirmation aja ali pati?Asakhalenso waku Maflames kuno mndala ameneyu tinatopa naye.
If baba Tembo is saying a ban will not help, what in his view will help Malawi. Tell this old greedy politician to tell malawians how to help out. Thats what parliamentarians are all about. Koma gogoyu nsanje too much. He will continue talking parables. That is why he is not feat to be a leader in parliamnet.
Let’s learn to discuss issues instead of discussing personalities. Candidly, I never anticipated in my life that such a blunt utterance would come from Tembo’s lips. It’s amazing to hear that the president’s plane was purchased without parliament’s approval. That’s a grievous fault. Then there is also a ‘speculation’ that Malawi loaned some $100 million to Zimbabwe (I call it speculation because I don’t think a poor country like Malawi can become a donor).
This reminds me of Billy Kaunda’s song titled: ‘Njala yalowa’ in his Mwataya Chipangano Agalatiya album (forget my Tumbuka intonation) that depicts a country as starving just because someone somewhere sold what the nation had harvested the previous year.
In the interest of calling a spade a spade, it’s wise to say: “You have GOOFED, Mr President”. With the idea of discussing issues rather than personalities at heart, it doesn’t matter who the wrongdoer is (whether Tembo, Mutharika or Mkandawire) but rather what has brought us here. We do not discuss who says what but rather, of what significance is the utterance to us. You have my rare CONGRATULATIONS Mr Tembo.
In the same vein, let me remind Banganya Banalume to comment on an issue of the day instead of trying to woo ‘Quota observers’ even where they are not due. The issue here is imperfection (whether manmade of natural) of foreign currency and it sounds wise to comment with that view.
This professional vendor is a prototype of mbuli.
Mr Professional Vendor you rub me on the wrong way, your comments stink and smell even on my computer I close my nose when reading them.
Majority of comments show that Bingu is wrong and you are trying to back him.This grey haired guy is not defendable if you ask me. When he came into power Bingu said he wil never allow women to dance for him. But what is he doing today. He promised village people factories where are the townships. He promised tomato crashing factories where are they now.In case Mr Vendor you are no internationally oriented South African President Jacob Zuma is underfire for just a simple message of asking people to stop excessive use of electricity. They have all rebelled him. If you read their websites you will appreciate that things have changed for Zuma. People nmo longer love him. Mr Vendor stop backing dictator. He said he hates IMF, WORLD BANK for pushing liberalization. Does he wnt us to be in communism. Bingu wa lowa China. Adzipita basi Alowe Atupele Muluzi mwanako
President Bingu will NEVER accept that some of his policies are NOT working. He always will find a scapegoat for his dismal perfomance in some sectors.
Problems in:
EDUCATION – Northerners
SHIRE WATER WAY- Brown Mpinganjira
FUEL SHORTAGE – Mozambique government
LOW TOBACCO PRICE-Four executives deported
COTTON NOT BOUGHT-Calgil
SHORTAGE OF FOREX – Indians and Arabs
ELECTRICITY-previous government of Muluzi
US100 Million to Zimbabwe – Reserve Bank
The list is endles.
He must learn to accept that he is only a human and therefore can not be an all round star performer. There is nothing wrong in acknowledging failure. Others will come to your rescue if and when you do so.
My fellow Malawians, let us tighten our belts. More hard times are coming ahead I reckon.
jzu is making a lot of sense.govt must indeed be accountable to the pipo pf malawi as that’s what democracy entails.the masses are the ones who put you guys into office but they always get neglected afterwards in as far as consultations and decisions are concerned.gerald in johannesburg
Give evidence where the forex is going other than just leaving people in suspense.
The presidential jet he has just mentioned is an example, kuwuma mutu bwanji? US$100 million loaned to Zimbabwe for maize export, what more do you want? I don’t agree with JZU but on this one am with him.
Paja tinagula jet, tinachititsa katapila ku Zim,pakati apa Bingu was visiting Malawi from time to time (he was hardy in the country – busy globetrotting) e.t.c Mwaiwala mayi?