Botolo says ‘old man’ Goodall wrongly accused on MPs K4bn funds

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe is wrongly and unfairly accused  by some civil society organisations (CSOs) pushing for his resignation over the controversial K4 billion to legislators,  Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo has  told stakeholders during pre-Budget consultations in Mzuzu.

Botolo: Leave the old man Goodall Gondwe

CSO leaders are demanding President Peter Mutharika to fire Gondwe and his Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development counterpart Kondwani Nankhumwa for their role in the transaction.

But Botolo queried the CSOs for their “torture” of the “old man” Gondwe when the matter was debated in Parliament in the Rural Development Budget.

Botolo said none of the CSOs go to Parliament to question them on the allocation But they are attacking the country’s purse keeper , which he said is “unfair.”

He said: “We are defending him [Gondwe] because it was not in the Ministry of Finance budget, but the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.”

Botolo was representing the Minister during the meeting seeking input on the 2018/19 national budget.

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 on Parliament in February after Malawi News first reported the matter.

But Nankhumwa clarified that both sides of the House decided to distribute the money equally across the board, meaning that each of the 193 legislators would now receive K20.7 million.

Capital Hill has long argued that the money, described as Quick Grant Project, is meant for rural development.

 

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Chilungamo
Chilungamo
6 years ago

Just like the President himself, most Malawians had so some much respect for Goodall. But the old man has earned himself a reputation of being untrustworthy and an economic delinquent to the nation. He is fast prooving to be more destructive than any previous finance minister on record. In fact even than career politicians like Henry Mussa and Dausi. Look, within a space of 1 month he has been involved 2 hugely controversial issues that can have enormous impact on our country’s economy. The FAKE LICENSE testimony in court and the K4m scam. And he did it like a seasoned… Read more »

Kenny
Kenny
6 years ago

Ana a njoka a kongiresi mwachuluka pano ati? Mungoti sphere tikuphwanyani mitu pa 21 May pano. Mukamuuza mbuyanu. NEVER AGAIN

santana
santana
6 years ago

Did this bill of 4bn go to the process of debate? Was the opposition in the chamber during debate of this bill? Was Chakwera in the chamber that day? Was Chakwera and his MCP in the chamber during the 50+1 Bill? All this shows that the opposition is too blind to see where it is going. Its own mistakes are blamed on government. They are making noise on things which are going through full procedures. Government has been open by putting all the bills on the floor for Chakwera and his dead party to participate. Opposition is showing total stupidity… Read more »

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
6 years ago
Reply to  santana

There was massive collusion amongst the parties (DPP as a ruling party and opposition) with the voting for/against Electoral Reform Bill. None of the politicians sitting in parliament are clean. They don’t even have their conscious. They all have sold their souls to the devil and the next best bidder. The electorate has to be smart enough to vote smartly come 2019. They need to take their power back where they hold their MPs to account and if not they fire them by voting them out in the next elections. Its as simple as that. Citizens should learn to exercise… Read more »

Hatton
Hatton
6 years ago

MCP also voted against the bill by sending their MPs to off duty so that the opposition is outnumbered. We are asking these pro opposition CSOs to probe opposition on that record absentism.

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
6 years ago
Reply to  Hatton

We just need Goodall Gondwe to tell the truth of what really happened. He is the custodian of the fiscus. It may be that all political parties (MPs were all in it or just some of them) were involved in the scam but the buck stops with Goodall Gondwe.

Wokhumudwa
Wokhumudwa
6 years ago

A Botolo you are really Mr. Botolo I thought you would give convincing arguments on this malpractice by the Finance Minister koma shaaaaa!. Abale ma fat envelops akuononga dziko. No wonder Prophet Bushiri akunena kuti we must change our mindsets. Mr. Botolo mutasintha mindset yanu mungatukuletu dzikoli.

Chilungamo
Chilungamo
6 years ago

STOP FOOLING people with FAKE clarifications here!!! The old man l& Nankhumwa & others behalved like TRICKSTERS in this whole scenario. They exactly knew what they were up to and which button they were touching and why? In fact they were taking advantage of unsuspecting, money-hungry and to some extent semi-illiterate opposition MPs. They knew the big-guns, the likes of Chakwera were not part of the discussions. Like in most TRICKSTERS syndicates an innocent victim often realises s/he has been robbed when the perpetrator is long gone. So Goodall is squarely the architect of this grand EXECUTIVE thievery and loot… Read more »

tony
tony
6 years ago

Botolo you are also part of this as the one who supports wrong is also in the wrong , you also need to go. Botolo you are shameless how can you protect lies you are not fit to hold a position of high integrity. Mu choke mbava iweyo ndi bwana wanu

BANDA
BANDA
6 years ago

Stop torturing Goodall Gondwe. He is one of the best.

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
6 years ago
Reply to  BANDA

The standards by which you are measuring Honourable Goodall Gondwe are definitely low Mr Banda. Now we wonder why Malawi is the poorest country in the world. Its people like you who are busy “kuombela mfiti m’manja”.

MALAWI
MALAWI
6 years ago
Reply to  BANDA

used to be

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
6 years ago

No wonder Malawi is in the financial state it is in. If a whole Secretary to the Treasury is unable to grasp basic financial and budgeting processes then God Save Malawi. If indeed Treasury allocated the expenditure budget (of a mere K1.3 trillion) the way K4 billion has been allocated then again, Lord Have Mercy. Review or revamp the entire budgeting process. Aren’t ministries supposed to submit a list of projects to justify funds allocations (save for recurring expenses). At the time of allocating funds to various constituents did the Honourable Nankhumwa produce a list of projects tying back to… Read more »

Shithole Country
6 years ago

This Botolo is amathematician who who was a teacher. He is where he is because the father comes from Phalombe and the mother from Mzimba. He did not recognized his father and spoke only Tumbuka and that is why he is backing Goodall Gondwe. Botolo is clever because of dual districts of origins and he swings. Any you can see that old age is catching up with him and this shows that what goes up comes down. Now coming to the issue it just shows that Botolo cannot bite the finger that is feeding him. The finger that fished him… Read more »

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