Malawi President Mutharika rebuffs CSOs ‘wishful thinking’ on K4bn: Will not personally receive the petition
President Peter Mutharika has refused to personally receive a petition from some defied civil society organisations (CSOs) planning the April 27 demonstrations over the controversial K4 billion allocation to legislators.
Mutharika said it is “withful thinking” from CSOs that he would get out of State House and personally receive their petition.
CSOs have unveiled plans to hold nationwide protests on April 27 2018 to express displeasure with government’s handling of the K4 billion allocation to members of Parliament (MPs) and other issues.
In a statement, the CSOs said their decision follows inconsistencies, illegality and a cloud of suspicion that characterised the K4 billion ‘miracle money’ pay-out that raises governance and accountability questions.
But President Mjutharika through his spokesman Mgeme Kalilani said he was not party to the demonstrations and would not be associated with them, therefore it is “wishful thinking” to expect him to receive the petition.
Said Kalilani: “ The President is not part of the planning group on how the so called demonstrations shall go about. If the planners say they shall hand over their petition to the President in person, only them [the planners; can explain what they mean by that.”
Presidential press secretary said in as far as the State House is concerned, President Mutharika is not party to the demo.
The CSOs have maintained that they will push Mutharika to get out of State House to receive the petition.
Through the demonstrations, which the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and others are supporting, the CSOs want to force cancellation of disbursement of the K4 billion fund, and push for the resignation or dismissal of Cabinet ministers Goodall Gondwe (Finance, Economic Planning and Development) and Kondwani Nankhumwa (Local Government and Rural Development) over their roles in the scam.
The demonstrations are set to be held under the theme ‘For How Long Shall Malawians Continue To Be Taken for Granted? Loss of Public Trust in the Current Administration: Time to Reclaim Our Destiny.’
The CSOs argue that the K4 billion allocation is illegal and not in the best interest of Malawians, hence the need to immediately cancel it.
The CSOs have also asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate allegations that government bribed some MPs from the opposition parties to frustrate the Electoral Reforms Bills through rejection, abstaining or absenteeism during last November sitting of Parliament.
The K4 billion issue—that initially saw 86 legislators mostly affiliated to the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its working partners getting about K40 million each—came to the fore during the Mid-Year Budget Review Meeting in Parliament in February after Malawi News first reported about the matter.
But Nankhumwa clarified that both sides of the House decided to distribute the money equally, meaning that each of the 193 legislators would now receive K20.7 million.
However, the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) later made a U-turn, saying it does not want to be party to the fund.
Capital Hill has long argued that the money, described as Quick Grant Project, is meant for rural development, but the CSOs feel Gondwe’s conduct on the matter is beneath his resume and a betrayal of citizens’ trust as the country’s purse keeper.
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APM should ignore these noise-makers. Don’t take them seriously because their intention is destroy.
The right way, the best way and the surest way to reclaim Malawi’s destiny is TO VOTE APM OUT OF GOVERNMENT ON 21 MAY, 2019 and usher in a TRUE SERVANT LEADERSHIP THAT IS HUMBLE, HUMANE AND CAN MAKE MALAWI A MIDDLE CLASS NATION. LET MALAWI VOTE WISELY COME THE ELECTIONS.
Smart brains swallow their pride whenever they get voice of reason……………!! I mean, are saying what the MLS president Mwiza Nkhata has said through daily times is trash? Take it/leave it, you have to operate as per the Law………..!! If the Law is not saying it, then don’t do it!!
Makani bwanji kodiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii? Nayenso kalilani, ndi bamusi 2 utuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Mukuwanyikitsaka a gogowo!! Ndikukulatu za law zinatha m’mutumo
Do you need to be part of the planning team to receive a petition?. It is from the people to their president. The former are raising concerns for the attention of the later
I really don’t understand why you (CSOs) should even think of delivering a petition to the president. For heavens sake, he is the architect of the corrupt Malawi we see today. He doesn’t care about what Malawians say, feel or do. He is so out of touch with reality 9proof is there for everyone to see). If he had his way he would order the military to deal with demonstrators. My advice to you SCO, change your tact and urgently mobilise sympathisers, especially the youth, to vote appropriately. Remember that Prof Peter Mutharika was elected democratically into office, through the ballot. The same way he was voted in he can be voted out. This is not rocket science! It is for this reason that he is busy touring Malawi lobbying for another 5 years mandate targeting mainly the rural and uneducated electorate. You’re (CSO) busy focusing on mobilising urban population, which is only 15% of the voting population and leaving out the 85% that Prof is focussing on. If you’re not smart enough, he will be back next year for another 5 years to 2024; before DPP disappears and self-destruct into the oblivion. Be Smart and Act Smart.
It is very sad that our president is surrounded by useless people. People who only know how to buy plots from Ministry of Lands through dubious means. Avoiding CSOs won’t solve the problem. If APM receives this petition citizens will know that they have a listening president. The president needs to have dialogue with the concerned groups and find a solution. We are all Malawians let’s not behave ngati dziko tinabwereka.
Chindere
YES, GO AHEAD WITH DEMOS AND TO THE END WE WILL SEE WHAT YOU WILL GAIN.KODI ACHAKWELA CHIMENE AKUWOPELA MAVOTI NDI CHANI? INUYO MATCHANI KOMA IFE SITILOLA ZOTI LAZALO ALOWELE PAWINDO COZ PETER SANALOWELE PAWINDO.
“Withful thinking” is what Mgeme and APM are practising………..!! These people seem to have forgotten that Malawians have the mandate over their destiny, not visa versa!!
Mau a akulu akoma akagonela………………!! You better seriously consider Bishop Msusa’s advice which he gave in June 2017. The Bishipo emphatically urged you people to listen to advice that the public give you on matters of national interest. Remember, he even went off board and added in an angry tone that and I quote: “am not a prophet but I can say that the power of a gun shall not be feared one day.” Mau amene ajatu ndi oopsya ndipo mudzdzidzimuka nawo mukapitiliza makani anuwa.
Nde kuona ka bamusi kamadzimva sugar, kakungoona ngati kakhoza kumalangiza a Malawi…………!! Mwanawe anakulemba ntchito ndi Peter, ndiye uzilangiza Peter yo osati a Malawi kapena ma CSOs.
Tiyenazoni, we will see who will laugh last……………………………………………….!!
Yess i agree with this decision, Smoke this OLD Man out of State house until he receive the petition. Why should he remain at our State house built by our Taxes if he cannot even handle Electricity problems we are facing?
Mukatuluka baba tinkhala pa gate la state house mpakana mudzatuluke bansi, ngati simudzatuluka bwana tizigona pompo mpakana tidzavote
No SURPRISES at all. When people say the ARCHITECT, BACKSTOPPER, MASTERMINDER of GRAND corruption, nepotism, etc in Malawi is the very high office ITSELF, this is EXACTLY what they mean..
Look, even nkhani ya MAIZEGATE it had to take a judge with professional credibility (Judge Msosa &NOT Andrew Nyirenda) b4 the president was forced to agree something was WRONG!
In short, UMBAVA ukuchitika’wu has all the BLESSING of the HIGHEST OFFICE in the land.
SHAME on MBAVA ma ZIGOGO!!!
The problem of voting into office matchona! Had it been APM was in Malawi in 1994 he would have realized that Malawians cannot be taken for granted. Limafika tsiku loti mwana kukana phala! We forced the great Kamuzu to let us have multiparty democracy …….pali chani apa amangwetu!
Mtsogoleei WA nzeru..
WHOEVER WILL RECIEVE THE SO CALLED PETITION PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME SO THAT I USED IT AS A TOILET TISSUE.
WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY ON THE SO CALLED MARCHING ON THE STREETS. KUNGO WONONGA NSAPATO. FOSTEKI
If this is what the president/state house is actually saying, then it means the heat is being felt……. I hope it will not lead to what happened when Bingu was faced with the same situation from CSOs. More fire CSOs especially now that PAC, leader of opposition, CCJP and others have supported the move!!!!!!
More fire till he is cardiac-arrested.
Muntharika thought the csos were joking , wow now he is feeling the of the April 27 demostrations. Especially now that its no longer csos only. Opposition parties, PAC, and we are waiting to express our anger. The only advice l can give to the organisers, don’t even think of cancelling the demos @ seventh hour. We will be on you.
yes we will demand for your own heads if you try to cancel this time