CHRR faults ‘insesitive’ pay hike: Malawi MPs urged to reject salary increase
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has described the recent government’s move to hike President, Vice President, and Cabinet and MPs salaries as insensitive in view of the prevailing political and economic crisis.
CHRR executive director Timothy Mtambo indicated that the recent salary increments by the cabinet and parliamentarians are an insult and mockery to Malawians.
“The recent salary increments of the President, Vice President, Cabinet and MPs are an insult and mockery to Malawians who have time and again been made to believe by the same government that it has no money to cater for similar demands as is the case in the current judiciary saga and others.
“What we see is of a government that is not ready to walk the austerity talk which it is ironically forcing on all Malawians to embrace. Government is just being too insensitive with the current mess. The President and the cabinet seem to be living in their own world different from the rest of us” said outspoken Mtambo.
Mtambo added that the general public expectation was for the government to first solve the current economic turmoil before even start thinking of its own plight.
“The increments are unjustifiable and shows how hypocritical our government has become especially coming from the same government that is failing to live up to the public expectation as evident in its continued failure to resolve the current crisis. Why should we reward failure? “
Mtambo said Mutharika administration has a daunting task to first resolve the current mess including the salary increments demands by various stakeholders before even thinking about rewarding its ‘failure’.
“This only signals lack of transformational leadership in the current leadership, which is regrettable,” argued the CHRR boss.
The outspoken human rights activist further described the huge increments of parliamentarian’s salaries as a political tool to silence any critical voice from.
“At CHRR, we view the huge MPs increments as a mere political tool by the current regime to appease members of Parliament especially those in the opposition to shut up, and be sympathetic to the government in the midst of the current political and economic hardships rocking the country. It’s an attempt to silence their critical voice”.
Mtambo then called upon members of the parliament to rise up and reject such increments
“Our expectation is for the members of Parliament especially the opposition to rise up and reject such increments in the general interest of all Malawians, and also to reflect the current context.”
Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) secretary general Pontius Kalichero has also expressed worry with the development, saying it is unfair to all civil servants.
The activists have since called on the MPs and the opposition to rise up and reject such increments in the general interest of all Malawians and also to reflect the current context.
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