Activists slam Malawi Parliament over K300m cars
Activists Billy Mayaya and Rev Macdonald Sembereka on Sunday accused Parliament for spending K300million in procurement of four State of the art vehicles, for Speaker, deputy speakers and leader of opposition, Dr Lazarus Chakwera.
Parliament has bought a Land cruiser for the Speaker and three Toyota Prados for leader of opposition in parliament Lazarus Chakwera, deputy speakers Esther Mcheka Chilenje and Clement Chiwaya.
Chakwera is MCP president whilst Msowoya is MCP vice president. Chilenje is an independent MP while Chiwaya is UDF legislator.
Mayaya described the procurement as hypocrisy at its best.
He told Nyasa Times: “It’s reckless of the worst nature. One expected better from the opposition. I wonder if it’s the saying ‘if you can’t beat them join them.’ We have to stop this carelessness it will take Malawi nowhere.
“ I wonder what’s wrong with our politicians in Malawi be it in government or the opposition. Of what benefit will it be for them to drive posh cars when the citizenry are deprived of basic necessities. This must stop forthwith.”
Another member of the civil Society Macdonald Sembereka said it was unfortunate that Parliament has bought the vehicles while the economy is not doing well.
“There is a certain level of hypocrisy where on the one hand Parliament demands accountability on the part of the other branches of government and yet at the same time does not exercise austerity in the light of the current economic plight. We expected Parliament to be exemplary,” said Sembereka, who served as religious adviser to former president Joyce Banda.
Government spokesman, Jappie Mhango told Malawi News which first reported about the procurement that Parliament’s move is “ strange and disturbing” as Capital Hill banned procurement of vehicles across the board including parliament and diplomatic missions.
Mhango lashed at Parliament for being selfish in getting “fuel guzzlers” during time of economic hardships.
He the Speaker, his deputies and leaders of opposition want to live in “luxury” while the rest of tax payers are wallowing in poverty.
Speaker Msowoya said parliament purchased the vehicles as soon they got into the office last year, saying “there is nothing new that has happened on this matter.”
Malawi News in its editorial condemned the purchase of the expensive vehicles, saying the country’s leaders want “luxury at the expense of poverty”, and that “they should be ashamed.”
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Thank you Mr.Ambassador for your brilliant and well thought piece on Thomas Sankara’s short life,but educative and purely an African inspired conception.Yes,brother Sankara did that from his inborn commitment to help his fellow Africans who were turned into a third class citizens in their own country.Once again,thank you for feeling concerned about our people who are now suffering massively under the corrupt and tribalistically motivated regime.I can say,Muthalika’s leadership and that of his late thief brother Bingu are worse than Banda,Muluzi and JB. Let’s be fair about that.Apart from Sankara,I would add two former Statesmen: Julius Nyerere and Kenneth Kaunda(… Read more »
mbava zokhazokha izi zisiyeni mwina akalowa nazo kumalembe zakubazo.
The cars are not personal. They were already bought but had not been delivered. Of-Clurse people are angry at every expenditure. The most bad expenditure is when a leader takes unnecessary huge group who need accommodation, flight, allowances and he hired an expensive get. That we can call bad planning. Not one European leader could have done that. He is dead. But in a poor begging nation they can do that becausea people will talk and nothing will change. Only revolution can change that. Africans are senseless and greedy. People who dont admire other nations development. Malawi will be the… Read more »
So DPP propaganda is working! Kubisala pa madzi a pachipande.
YOU SILLY MUPPETS MAKING NOISE. LOOK AT THE NUMBER PLAT OF THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS IT NOT MGGGGGGG……………………… CHEAP POLITICS!!!! CAN YOU PARADE ALL VEHICLES MINISTERS HAVE.
Let them enjoy there time
When are we going to have real statesmen in Malawi?
If Principal Secretaries can drive Prados What more with the Speaker and Leaders of opposition. Am sure this was budgeted for. Its part of their package. But lets talk of fuel allocation. Is it justifiable to receive 1000 litres fuel per month for ministers? Which trips do they make? Do they work in their offices? or else they are always up and down the whole country. From Nsanje to Chitipa. You can calculate yourselves how many Kilometers you can Travel. How many times can you travel Chitipa to Nsanje? Please some of these expenses can be cut and save for… Read more »
Don’t blame recipients but those that did the procurement.
Malawians,we’ll come to the Disneyland.It is pretty sad that the representatives people elected to the Parliament represent their own greedy ends.The 9th September,1964 Cabinet Crisis,opened my eyes and my brains for the rest of my life particularly the six Cabinet Ministers’ intrepid eloquence,never failed to arouse my admiration and respect for them and all of us who were there highly developed sense of pride,but the question arose,if these brilliant and patriotic young leaders fail to unseat Banda,what would be the future of our dear Malawi? The response is,what we’re seeing today.Our country has been thrown to the vultures with uncertain… Read more »