Parliament defers Malawi army budget vote: Finance Minister asked to clear mist
Malawi Parliament on Tuesday morning deferred a budgetary vote for Malawi Defence Force (MDF) as opposition took to task Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe over some aspects of the increased budget.
Opposition members of parliament took turns during the morning session to quiz Gondwe but he reluctantly answered the queries.
He told the inquisitive parliamentarians that issues of military are sensitive because they are security in nature.
Parliament then agreed that Gondwe should face the defence and security committee of parliament in camera where he should clarify issues raised by the legislators.
However, other votes were passed unchallenged.
The deferring of the vote comes just a day after MDF soldiers on United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo complained that they do not have suitable equipment gear to fight the country’s rebels in north Kivu, a mountainous, muddy terrain with thick forest.
Director of military operations in MDF told a group of Malawi journalists at the battle field that the MDF even deducts 15 percent of their hard earned UN allowances to fund some of Malawi’s military operations in view of increasing budget cuts to the external security department.
Deputy Minister of defence Malisen Ndau appreciated the problems and said the government would look into them.
Meanwhile, Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence urged the government to invest in soldiers working in DRC.
“These are people who are sacrificing their lives for Africa, they need all what they want,” he said.
Some members of parliament however said past experience has it that some leaders have used the MDF to get money for party or personal use through dubious transactions as MPs hardly examine transaction details of the department on the pretext they are sensitive security issues.
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Cedric Phiri, watch out otherwise u will go like the kayombez
military siiteteza dziko pokhapokha kukakhala nkhondo pokhapokha, you never know kut kukanakhala chani chikhala kuti kulibe asilikali
mbatama za asirikali
amphawi ,alonda achabechabe kudziwa kupempha mowa basi
at last malawians waking up.. all votes should be examined
The government has to get tax. What would be the benefit of the government giving all needs to the army without benefit? Are they fighiting country war? Boma litengepo.If not interested let apite omwe they can obey the govrnment.this is not private army.
Please divert resource to health and education. We do not need an army that size in malawi. Resources are limited and our security has never been at risk. We do not need to fight other people’s wars.
Taking soldiers UN allowances for those fighting in drc to fund Mdf problems is not on, that is blatant stealing soldiers money. Mdf should immediately stop this. This money is just going into top army officers pockets who are just sitting doing nothing while the foot soldiers are fighting and dying in drc.
They should receive their full UN allowances without deductions. If Mdf has no money then blame the govt rather than taking the money of brave soldiers putting their lives on the drc frontline fire or war.
The army needs respect. Your comments r so terrible especially Baibulo. After the Hutus and the Tutsis butchered each other it was the MDF which went to Rwanda for peacekeeping until their General Elections. U may not appreciate it but the MDF also galantly protected the Nacala Corridor. Tell me how many battles has the Zambian army or the Botswana army or the Zimbabwe army fought since independence? Their soldiers r well respected in their countries but here in Malawi we redicule our soldiers! Some of u have no respect for anything whether it is the Executive or the Judiciary… Read more »
The army is a waste of time. Why should it cost similar sum to Ministry of Health? I know which one I would fund.