Asians dominating Malawi govt procurement, laments MP Mwenifumbo: Address economic inequality
Racial tensions, linked to the Malawian Asians’ economic dominance, do still exist, but it’s downplayed. However, Karonga central member of parliament Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo spoke strongly in support of indigenous Malawians and that government should liberate its people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation and economic inequality.
“Over the years, my observation has been that most Malawians, especially, indigenous Malawians, do not participate or it is not even an attempt to absorb them in the procurement process of government services and products,” Mwenifumbo said in parliament in Friday.
He was making his contribution to a Bill of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets.
Frank-talking Mwenifumbo urged government to economically emancipate its people from living below the poverty line and ensure economic empowerment through participation in government procurements fairly.
He said the government business most of the contractors are of Asian origin.
“I was disappointed at one point when we were talking to officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. I think my colleagues that I sat with in that Committee will agree with me. I did pose a question to the official there as to why that all suppliers of fertiliser subsidy were all Asians or were otherwise foreigners and not even a single Malawian,” said Mwenifumbo.
“The unfortunate answer that came from these officials was that Malawians do not have capacity. We were all shocked, Right Honourable Speaker, Sir.
“This is not only exclusive to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. If you go to Ministry of Health, the same thing, you hardly see a Malawian being given a chance to supply services and products to government, all ministries and departments,” said Mwenifumbo.
Mwenifumbo asked the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe to ensure there is a deliberate policy, “where we should make sure that a certain percentage of those procurements must be given to Malawian businessmen, that is only when we can grow this economy. “
The Karonga central MP (Independent) said the economic hardships that Malawians are going through are “uncalled for and unnecessary.”
Said Mwenifumbo: “Most of the monies are in the hands of foreigners. When it comes to this kind of a situation, you hardly see them bringing back that money into the economy. “
He continued: “I can assure you if you give a black man, a Malawian, some business, the first and foremost, he will think of building something in Malawi here especially at his village.
“But look at our friends, they are making billions, and if you ask them as to what they have invested in Malawi, it’s zero. That’s very unfortunate. “
Mwenifumbo asked for a clause in the Bill where it should include the participation of the Malawian entrepreneurs in the provision of services to government.
Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya asked Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Samuel Tembenu SC to comment. He said “this issue of indigenous, black man, white Malawian, black Malawian, always comes up, can you describe to me, who is an indigenous Malawian? Please!”
In his response Minister Tembenu said he was yet to find a better definition for an indigenous Malawian.
“So far there in none in the Constitution. A Malawian is a Malawian,” said Tembenu.
Speaker Msowoya noted that ‘indigenous Malawian’ terminology comes up most of the times.
“The other groups also argue that the fact that, they have access to a Malawian Passport, they are citizens and therefore, they are Malawians,” he said.
Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Bill was referred to the Legal Affairs Committee of parliament for further scrutiny.
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I think the citizens of Malawi need to rally together to fight this injustice that has plagued our land. It is clear that the ones that are enjoying the fruits of this nation are not the owners of the land. No Malawi an even with money can go to establish themselves in these Asians’ countries. period! so why should we accommodate them here? It’s time for this nation to wake up and grow some balls for once. Let us learn to put our indigenous brothers and sisters first before foreigners. that’s what other countries do. They put their people first… Read more »
The problem is not the Mwenyes. The problem is with Malawians. Malawians are all corrupt and greedy in nature. The Mwenyes just capitalise on that. First the word Mwenye (Mwene) is a yao one. It means mfumu. From the time the Yao people started calling the first Indians Chiefs ( mwenyes) because the Yaos used it as flattering word whenever they were being given dark brown sugar and other hand outs. Coming to corruption, it is a fact the all prices of goods that Government ministries, departiments and agencies are ficticious. They are not real. There is always 10% or… Read more »
I agree with semani . It is very true that in the countries he / she has mentioned, foreigners and even those who have become citizens by obtaining a passport for that country can not run certain businesses. There are reserved categories of businesses for the indigenous people. Secondly these countries have put in place deliberate policies that empower the indigenous people to have capacity to get into businesses by putting in place national development banks where locals can access loans at low interest rates payable over along period of years. Provided business management training to help sustain the established… Read more »
am not sure that SC did not understand what excactly mwenefumbo was talking about when he talks about indigenous malawian. he knows whom he was refering to. only he jock.on sesetive issue.
Everything having been said and understood, Malawians should shed off stupid mentality and stand up to the time we are living in. An Indigenous Malawian is his own enemy because of inferiority complex and jealousy. When Mulli and Mpinganjira get ahead economically we all gang up to cry blue murder and pull them down mercilessly. But When Movessa take up the entire govt dept such as Road Traffic Directorate, Malawians sheepishly smile in admiration. We spend all our time sleeping, drinking , f******ing , gossiping, engaging in unprofitable political arguments, while our friends are busy calculating, planning, assessing and using… Read more »
As uneducated as they are to be a millionaire yet back in their country they were street sweepers.
Ha!ha!ha! A Malawi when will you wake up
Sometime these amwenyes will overpower us. OG Issa is chiradzulu central MP mwati sadzayimila u president kenako? KOmanso akuweta nkhuku he has so many kraals ku nguludi, why? Ma business a Chi Malawi nde ati kodi?
It seems to me that most Malawian MPs including so-called Ministers do not comprehend the word INDIGENOUS.The word indigenous means those whose fore-fathers were born in Malawi before even the white man set foot on our land.In other words,indigenous means: someone originating in the country.In the circumstances therefore,Mwenye (Indian),Packistan,Chinese and all those Asians and Whites who live in Malawi and Africa,are not indigenous but,registered citizens who are vulnerable to be sent back to the original homeland should they violate the laws of the land.These people usually are unpatriotic and they are in our country to exploit unmercifully our resouces and… Read more »
well narrated. I salute you for your good definition.
Wake Up Malawi! Wake Up! Alll countries that have developed in the world have been in the hands of patriotic and educated nationalists. Take the West, Singapore, or the East. There will be patriots with a nationalist heart to develop their countries. Unfortunately the current dispensation allows the integration of people of other origins tp be an integral part of our economic emancipation as a country. How these are patriotic to economic development of the socio economic development of the Malawi leaves alot to be desired. Malawi is a country sold out to uneducated unscrupulous Asians. Why we give them… Read more »
But Hon Meenifumbo why then were you as Deputy Minister of Agriculture awarding contracts for fertiliser to Indians and Greeks? You are being a hypocrite? You are not frank talking Mwenifumbo you are the carrier of those boxes filled with dollars which were found in Bingu’s bedroom. You shared the loot.