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.
Bingu is malicious. I think he is bankrolling Mugabe. Nanga olo ndi Atcheya forex yimavuta chonchi abale. Munthu nde angasiyanitse bwanji economist ndi Carpenter. He has failed the country. The best he can do is to resign within the next ten days.
If he resigns what are you hoping to achieve? Look at what he is doing and not where he is slackening.
Chief Justice Kamphata you are talking sence. Awuzeni abongololo who just comment on things for the sake of commenting.
Comment to advise the president not to pomp him . He had done so many bluders but you pepole do not observe. These things will affetc all of us in the near future I bet, the queues at filling stations , blackouts, shortage of forex , the country being divided because of qouta and you think the country is ok simply because you dine the wine and enjoy the cake with the Bingu.
Guys we may not like Tembo or are so obsessed with Bingu, his comments make sense. If he were still powerful, DPP would have heaped all the blame on him but now who is to blame for the fuel, electricity, water, soft drinks ect crises? Unforunately politicians from Africa do not dare resign and there is very little hope for the common man.
More economic ills will befall Bingu’s government because of his intransigeances. See what he did to the cotton growing sector. He came up with unrealistic minimum prices that no one could afford. Then came in the tobacco saga whereby he came up with minimum prices. Though this was a worth while suggestion, the draconian steps he took that resulted in the deportation of chief executives of the tobacco companies will come to haunt him and the country for a long time. Most of those were innocent individuals and to subject them to deportation when they were just performing their duties is traumatic in itself. It is also laughable when you hear Bingu declaring tobacco as as a strategic crop for his government. Is that what caused him to take such actions? Now the market is beginning to reverberate which may culminate in far reaching impact on the poor Malawian growers. Do not be surprised to hear that burley tobacco is to be banned or greatly reduced in major cigarette brands in the west in the near distant future. We need presidents who are not all that big headed to negotiate and make a plea on behalf of its people if such a situation were to come up. Otherwise the economy will be caught off guard. All the best Mr. President. More nightmares are in the offing unless you would humble yourself and ask God to direct you earnestly.
I do agree with Hon Tembo’s assertion that this is no time for a blame game. government led by its economic engineer must accept responsibility. Mugabe did not see that his economy would be brought to its knees. Malawi’s economy could be brought to its grave if we continue at this footing without properly checking the steps. Some of you may call me mad but I ask you to come back to me within the next two years and applaud me of my foresight and wisdom. But alas it will be too late.
You are not mad Tomulet. In fact, you would expect the Mary Shawas to take a critical look at the effects of the failed cotton marketing upon nutrition status of the families involved. Already, the press reports relief plans to families in the lower shire and balaka. To what extent is this situation related to the cotton disaster? If we are not careful, we shall end up with mothers spending time in nutrition rehabilitaion units during the faming season that has just started. And so, goes the vicious food insecurity- malnutrition cycle.One wonders whether such pieces of advise are reaching the President.
the big head is too busy to notice…busy using the mulli empire and mota engil to steal from us…and busier admiring his recently acquired jet…meanwhile,the suffering continues
A Bob Finye, you are really Bob like the Thyolo one and you think like a cabbage. Kukusokosa when I link our predicament to quota system? Zoona? You do not love your country. In my comment I have raised a number of issues. Some of us are well informed by the most reliable sources you can think of. Brush my comments off and don’t regret if our economy will be in tandem with the Zimbabwe one.
MALAWI IS FALLING!!!!!!!!!! BINGU BINGU U CLAIMED TO BE AN ECONOMY ENGINEER.
problems with forex, parliament what is the solution, since malawi is run by parliament….. agwape inu
abale posankha president tisazasankheso nkhalamba ngati chi bingu,pachakuti pake ndi nonse alomwe mukuvomereza zauchisilu
Vuto ndi lakuti munthuyu amadzitenga ngati Mulungu. Uzimva anthu akamkuuza. Always blaming other people for his mistakes.