Chakwera says 2017 Malawi K1.1trillion budget ‘ too ambitious’: Fight corruption to achieve goals

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament and Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera has described the 2017/18 National Budget unveiled Friday in Lilongwe as too ambitious.

Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe with opposiiton leader Chakwera: Budget too ambitious

Chakwera said he was pleased that the Minister of Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has taken into account suggestions and ideas the opposition proposed during the mid year budget review.

According to Chakwera, the country can indeed be developed if the budget is implemented and if there will be a  political will to fight corruption.

“It is an improvement from the past, as such we believe that with less fraud and less corruption and less mismanagement we should be able to serve our people better. It’s an ambitious , it must be done if they do show political will and cut out all fraud and corruption”,  he said .

Chakwera said he party fears that the budget is aimed at squeezing Malawians further as people will be made to pay more taxes.

On his part, Peoples Party spokesperson on finance in the house, Ralph Jooma commended Gondwe for what he calls nice presentation of the budget that everyone is eager to see  it’s implementation.

But he said there were still a mist  on issue of linking economic growth to income per capita.

“You could hear the minister saying within 10 years we want income per capita to be doubled. And the only reason he gave is that we want our economic growth to be as ambitious as seven percent per annum,” said Jooma0.

“For us, from experience, we know that there could be economic growth without being inclusive. So, there could be economic growth that will only benefit few individuals. So income capita is one thing but I think we should be talking of equal distribution of resources,” he added.

Gondwe said the 2017/18 National Budget seeks to sustain economic gains. He said the budget also wants to harness an expected rebound of the economy, on the back of a good harvest and budgetary support from the World Bank.

But Gondwe also made some daring moves by introducing tax on subscription television, a 35 percent tax on salary incomes of over K3 million a month and an increase in allocations to governance institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Judiciary, Legal Aid Bureau and the Office of the Director of Public Officers’ Declarations.

European Union (EU) Ambassador Marchel Germann and United States (US) Ambassador Virginia Palmer said they welcomed the increase in funding, in particular, to governance bodies.

Chancellor College-based economic professor Ben Kaluwa  hailed the budget as having addressed the concerns of low income earners by, among other things, removing VAT on milk, increasing the tax free bracket and raising the minimum wage from K19 000 to K25 000.

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Pension Nenereko
Pension Nenereko
6 years ago

Surprising???????? walakwitsa chiyani Chakwera apa? Malawi is good at paper work but implementation ng’oo mostly because of fraud and corruption.

Amaduh Cassim
Amaduh Cassim
6 years ago

Minimum wage From 19000 to 25000 ? pliz raise it from 19000 to 60000 it will be better.

Mcp die hard
6 years ago

Its too late for Chakwera to get treatment from his brain retarded illness
Mcp If not careful will be wiped from the. face of maai in 2019 together with. P.p

ofewa
ofewa
6 years ago

yes that is what we need MALAWI as a Nation we need to see people ayambe kukolola dzomwe ada fetsa osati kumangokolola zomwe sadafetse in the name of their positions katangale ndi ziphuphu dzichepa pa Malawi keep it up Boma timakunyadilani

bwato
bwato
6 years ago

Dr. Chakwera, if you are material for Malawi presidency, start dreaming in colour like APM and company. Unfortunately, rash, fear and pessimism are eating deep into the core of your political spine and bone marrow. Come 2019 , the work of APM’s hands will speak for him eg the road passing through your home village in Nsalu.

Concerned Citizen
6 years ago
Reply to  bwato

Bwato, confession and kuchitekete , your comments just shows hatred for chakwera give good arguments like you have brains, za defeat ya 2014 kukambabe lero. Grow up men

Muloza
Muloza
6 years ago

Gondwe yomweyo. Koma get ready for Chakwera as president 2019. Gondwe like all DPP northerners mwathandiza DPP and now u can rest.

kuchithekete
kuchithekete
6 years ago

I STAND TO BELIEVE THAT THE FINANCIAL PLAN IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF APM, THE MAN ON the DRIVING SEAT. NOW, IF IT IS AN AMBITIOUS PLAN, IT JUST FULFILLS THEIR MANIFESTO WHICH YOU LAZALAS TOLD MALAWIANS THAT DPP HAS FAILED TO OFFER THEM WHAT THEY PROMISED TO DO ONCE IN POWER. TO DAY U CLAIM THAT WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET IS YOUR IDEA,THIS KIND OF LEADERSHIP, MR LEADER OF OPPOSITION, SIR. IS NOTHIN BUT TANTAMOUNT TO CAUSE CHAOS IN THIS COUNTRY BUT THANK GOODNESS,APM KNOWS YOU THAT YOU ARE FULL OF DILEMA EMANENTIN FROM YOUR SHOCK DEFEAT IN… Read more »

Maunits
Maunits
6 years ago

Elijah ngati ndinu a dpp khalani chete MCP is intact and ready to takeover come to 2019. Dont be confused here MCP is thye only hope for Malawi.

Confessions
Confessions
6 years ago

Chakwera iwe kodi ukufuna chani kwenikweni chili chonse ukungosutsa????? Kodi u are still angry with your loss of elections?

Dickson
6 years ago

It sounds like a good budget if implemented.

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