Budget cuts to Malawi governance bodies wary MP Malani Mtonga

Karonga South MP Malani Mtonga ( Peoples Party) has expressed concern on the decision by government to chop up budgets that have anything to do with holding the government to account.

MP Mtonga: Judiciary is being suffocated
MP Mtonga: Judiciary is being suffocated

In spite of a promise to properly fund transparency and accountability bodies that ensure democratic values are upheld, she Office of the Ombudsman, constitutionally mandated – as a public protector – to investigate any and all cases where a person may have suffered injustice, is one of the worst sufferers in the 2015/16 budget. It has been allocated a paltry K270 million, a decline from an already insufficient K342 million allocated in the 2014/15 budget.

The judiciary and Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) have also suffered cuts.

“It is high time we guard our democracy and win back donor confidence as a nation. We have governance institutions like ACB, National Assembly, Law Commission, Ombudsman, Legal Aid, Malawi Human Rights Commission and Director of Public Declaration of Assets. It is sad to note that these institution’s allocations have suffered heavy cuts in their budgetary allocations,” said Mtonga continuing the budget statement in parliament.

“ I, therefore, plead with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development to consider allocating some more funds to these governance institutions,” he said.

On the part of Judiciary, which was allocated K1.3 billion last year the allocation this year has been reduced to K1 billion, noted Mtonga.

“We feel that the Judiciary is being suffocated,” said the lawmaker.

“ Therefore, we plead for additional allocation to the Judiciary. If it receives more allocation the people of Chilumba will benefit from it because we are looking forward to having a court at Uliwa as people there travel long distances to access justice,” said Mtonga.

Additionally, there have been cuts to Local Government and Rural Development, Land and Housing, Youth Development and Sports, Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Financial Intelligence Unit, Registrar General, Transport and Public Works, Human Rights Commission and the Anti- Corruption Bureau.

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Mwana waku Lwezga
Mwana waku Lwezga
8 years ago

Wadada Mtonga, apo mwayowoya nadi. We need such contributions in parliament. we look forward to development initiatives along Lwezga to Chilumba. We need electricity along the Chitimba – Uliwa road.. clinic at Lwezga and School at khwawa should be improved. Yewo chomene mwana wa u bundi

Watondwa zimba
Watondwa zimba
8 years ago

Iwe Malani, mbwenu kughanaghanavya khoti among all the issues in Chilumba. Do you remember what happened to Kafwirangachi Nyirenda when he requested for construction of a prison in Chilumba. Akamalira penepapo. Kwaku nawe iwe sono kwamala. Gula minda yozalima mu 2019.

chicco wa nyathindwa
chicco wa nyathindwa
8 years ago

mwayowoya wa mp withu.tikukhumba khoti ku chilumba mweee

OBSERVER
8 years ago

MAY GOD HELP MALAWI. TRUE BUDGET CUTS WILL AFFECT NOT GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS BUT ALSO CRITICAL DEPTS LIKE HEALTH. YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR GOVT IS PLANNNG, CUTTING HEALTH BUDGET. MONTH OF MAY 2015 HOSPITALS WERE FUNDED BETWEEN MK2 TO MK3 MILLION FROM MK17 MILLION. WHATS THATS? LORD HAVE MERCY ON US.

chilewe
chilewe
8 years ago

Midnight 6 or whoever you call yourself, this is not campaign period. The man is talking sense here

Batman
Batman
8 years ago

And we are almost closing the hospitals since for DPP it seems health is not a priority. Donors like EGPAF, NORAD are pulling off since the govt hasnt shown commitment on its few resources it has.

Midnight 6
8 years ago

He must stop talking nonsense, am already on my way to take him down in 2019 . Chilumba is not playing

Nchembere Zandondo
Nchembere Zandondo
8 years ago

Mr Malani Mtonga all what you are saying is true. There are huge budgetory cuts in most departments.The reason is that this particular government has no money. Their priority is to build more toilets with a loan.

And don’t say anything about Judiciary. They are responsible for this mess. They failed to guide us when we needed them most. Even the constitution crisis you have in parliament about crossing the floor, they are the ones behind it.

Just pass the budget and go home.

Kumpalume Dixy
8 years ago

Please Fund judiciary and finish up cash gate cases

Jelbin mk
Jelbin mk
8 years ago

And don’t tell us about donor freeze because someone from state house by the name Gerard Viola told us that donors have returned to offer country so give us another excuse whether viola lied to us or not but we take it officially true because we don’t expect anyone from house number one tho live on behalf of the whole government.

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