Cdedi protests change of financial year: ‘Democracy demands that leaders should consult the governed before effecting changes’
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has protested the decision by the Tonse Alliance-led government to change the fiscal year from July—June cycle, arguing it was made without a nod from the people who put the administration in government.
However, CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa, who addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Thursday, acknowledged that President Lazarus Chakwera has not violated any law by making such a paradigm shift in policy direction.
Namiwa made the remarks when he address the media in Lilongwe a day after the Tonse government announced the change to the fiscal year.
He said although it is not very strange for governments make policy changes, his organization was of the view that relevant stakeholders should have been involved through a thorough consultative process.
“We, at CDEDI, believe that in a modern day democracy, deliberate efforts should have been made to create space for stakeholders’ consultations before government came up with such a drastic change in policy which will require amendments of some acts of parliament to accommodate the same. It is even more mind boggling when one looks back at the history of one of the major alliance partners, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Malawians of good will should be worried with the current trend of making dictatorial policy shifts, which if left unchecked, it will set a very bad precedent, under the disguise of using the privilege of executive powers,” he said.
He challenged Chakwera to bring forward evidence that his government made consultations with relevant stakeholders before coming up the decision.
Namiwa warned that should the President fail to produce such an evidence, CDEDI will move the courts to stop government from implementing the policy shift until such a time when thorough consultations will have been done.
He also questioned the Tonse government’s decision to close borders without consulting relevant stakeholders.
“CDEDI believes such a decision should have been made with the relevant stakeholders who are likely to be directly affected, such as the revenue collection bodies and other business operators that are involved in cross border trade. CDEDI is further challenging the Malawi government to learn from the neighboring country Tanzania on how they managed to contain the pandemic without tampering with the boarders, and immediately rescind its decision for the same reason of infringing on the economic rights of those people whose livelihoods depend on cross border trade. CDEDI will again move the courts in the event that government decides not to rescind its decision,” said Namiwa.
On the other hand, the CDEDI boss regretted that Malawians will be celebrating Christmas and the New Year festivities ‘with the shocking revelation of increased domestic debt which has the potential to push up the inflation rate, the lending rate and by extension increased cost of living, a development that will eat away disposable cash and in the process push more people into poverty’.
He said these circumstances could easily be contained if Chakwera stood firm on his promise to control unnecessary expenses such as external travels and the unjustifiable local travels.
he President said in the spirit of Christmas, he would like Malawians to reflect on the big message behind Christmas as he hopes this Christmas ends the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
osati RBM ati kusintha maonekedwe a k1000 .zoona.
Kabambe
Mnchakulu anazipanga cashgate ovutika ndife anthu wamba.
musintha kangati ngati mmapanga ugalu umeewu mmayam ba ndi inu nomwe.mxiii
I have not seen dollar or pound face changing agalu inu.
This organization is better dead. You are trying to be relevant where you are irrelevant. Go and fight for something bigger. If you have a liquid money, go and help the government build better primary schools around the country. No so called NGOs has ever come out to commend government when it has done something good.
CDEDI, we know you want to become the next HRDC, however you need to pick relevant issues to fight for not every Jim and Jack. Nokha you acknowledge kuti government needs to practice fiscal discipline yet you want the same government to be consulting even on very straight forward issues like this one. Please, Mr CDEDI leader get a life and start fighting relevant battles. Why not fight for the reduction of presidential powers if you have nothing else to fight for.
Namiwa is a DPP agent.
Just as Trapence etal of HRDC to MCP.
Do checks and balances on real issues, please. We know you want to make the organisation relevant but this is not the way to it
This organization checks and balances will make Malawi a better place to live.Namiwa and your team thumbs Up!
If I can remember this quest for change of financial calendar was followed by a statement saying parliament will have to deliberate on the same. Parliamentarians represents the people if they do their job properly you will be accommodated and represented by them.
The fiscal year was changed mainly to coincide with the farming season, so I believe.
You have not sold your ideas why you think this was inappropriate. And you go on to say that the government has not brocken any law. Please be specific.
As a matter of interest ,is that organisation funded by the taxpayer.
Akuthoka ndowe 🐂
The question is, if you are among the people to be consulted, are you likely to disagree with the decision that’s been made? If the answer is ‘no’, then get over it and move on. But this talk of ‘we demand this and that..’ will not take you anywhere.
My point is, if the decision is the right one, consultation or not, agree with it. If it is wrong, consultant or not, disagree with it. Case in point, remember there was wide consultation on the change of flag by the Bingu administration. Despite the consultations, the decision was wrong. Joyce Banda changed it back, and I don’t remember there being a consultation about it. The decision was right, Malawians agreed with it.
If you think the decision is right, agree with it and move on.
Where were you when all the NGOs were pushing the previous government to change the fiscal year to April, so that Admarc should be funded in time to purchase maize. There are some things we just need to let them progress
These are idiots. They want to be relevant to us now. Dunderheads
I find this bogus organization extremely toxic. So government has to seek approval from the public each time it wants to take a decision? This Namiwa guy was there during the DPP regime and never questioned anything. With the Tonse Alliance government he is trying to behave as if he is the most intelligent citizen of our nation. Undoubtedly this organization is a mercenary for the DPP.
Agalu owuwa ndi mphepo yomwe mudawawona?
Munya muona…pitani kukhotiko tikawina komweko…sitingapange consult chifukwa palibe lamulo lotero…
THIS CORONA could be a conspiracy thing-
in fact each one of us has at one moment in time suffered from flu.
look here nowadays if a prominent person suffers from flu -the magnify it and say its corona just to justify their claims we now hear of this minister that minister is corona affected .
this is simply CORONA PUBLICITY
Mr.Namiwa ,if financial year does not change, ADMARC will not come to life again why?venders will still be have an upper hand on agricultural produce in Malawi.If ADMARC is funded by April, then it shall have lion’s share on these commodities.Therefore it is a right decision to change financial year for the benefit of many Malawians than CEDEDI.
Sounds good on the paper but practically Admarc starts buying produce in July for the fact that by that time, produce is deemed to be fully dry.
I BELIEVE the boarders should have been left open/
this Corona disease seems to be a conspiracy thing.
they even forecasted to say another one will come kkkkkkk
is this a weather forecast??
TAnzania had remained open boarderes an it has been business as usuall
ARE NOT THESE PEOPLE TARGETING OUR CHURCH GARTHERING HERE IN MALAWI??????
I would advise CDEDI that they seem to be misinformed about the perceived success of Tanzania in combating the COVID pandemic. Furthermore, CDEDI should be alive to public health aspects of communicable diseases control before pronouncing itself on measures to contaim the pandemic.
Chakwera and his cabinet they are running government like spaza shop
This is the time for us Malawians to stop support these so called organizations like CDEDI, HRDC, YAS, all these stupid organizations don’t add any value to our country, they make a lot of noise and wasting people’s time. Tell me who’s funding these useless organizations?
It is silly to think that government should, in all cases, be consulting (who?) before implementing important decisions as this would result in unnecessary delays. Who does CDEDI represent anyway? Surely not the majority of us Malawians? And what is the problem to CDEDI about the change in the financial year dates? The government has got specialists who advise whether the changes are necessary or not and valid reasons have been given that have necessitated this change! Should the government also really consult CDEDI before closing boarders to protect the citizens of Malawi from a pandemic? This is a very cheap way of thinking. Give president Chakwera a chance to rule Malawi without interference from CDEDI! He was elected to make decisions on our behalf and and not to be wasting time consulting on every issue. It is clear that this organisation is only interested in blaming government! Mwatumidwa? I also urge the government to change the school calendar (for good) to be starting January every year. Wishing Chakwera and Malawi the best.
This is one of the manifesto promises of MCP being fulfilled. Incase CDEDI is not aware, let them revisit the MCP Manifesto
Za ziii zamkutu zopanda ndi mchere omwe. Go to court if you have guts to do so. Last time you chickened out going to court and you offered no explanation. Tonse alliance government will be better off if they completely ignore Cdedi because it is irrelevant and has nothing to offer.
Paja dzina lanu lija ndi ndani? No wonder your name itself tells us a story.
What must be done must be done …Akayamba to Consult you …You are the same people who will be Saying …They are too slow in making decisions…Osawamvera awa anali ku State House ndi adadi for years …Koma Game anayiwobera patali mkuthawako….What must be done must be done …We want Bingu wa First term uja before he was surrounded by Home boys amulhako…That is the kind of leadership we Want….Kodi strategist Zikhale akumakumana ndi abwanawo …This was one guy who assisted Bingu much in the first term …
This issue started with goodall gondwe I see no problem
Foolish
What has change of financial year got to do with kudya katatu. We need positive change in our life, not these useless policies.
What type 9f thinking is this Namiwa thing portraying? What a joke of an activist.
Eish,Malawi. The headline and the article! Miss leading too much!
Mutu wawo suyenda akulu awa
I remember during the campaign trail President Chakwera said if voted into power he will change the fiscal year to align with the farming season so Mr Namiwa does one need to consult in order to fulfill a campaign promise,the assumption is that the Tonse govt was given the mandate to govern based on the promises that were made
Galu iwe kaya ukuti ndani…kaya ndani…pliz 2025 ndikutaki your masters akukutumawo akutopesa ife alimi we are happy with the change kuti we shud have time of buying fertilizer and seeds…stop politics in every thing…utopa mwachangu wayambilira nthawi siinati ukutibowa with your dpp thieves
Empty tins
I think Malawian CSO just want to be making foolish and boring noise on media just few days ago Trupense and his team blamed government forgetting has been in government for only 6 months and today it’s this one. Worse more the guy is admitting that Chakwela has violated no law. So why the argument.Rubish
Kodi iwe uzingotsutsa chilichonse moduka mutu chonchi? Apa nde wa onieza. You are not even making sense
barking at everything is what will slowly kill this pocket NGO
What rights will be infringed if government changes fiscal year? Who is wronged here? What effect will this have on citizens? What services will stop? It seems Namiwawa want to make news out of nothing.