Chakwera splashes out K35m to MCP lawmakers: What happened to not giving handouts?

July 15, 2020 Wanga Gwede - Nyasa Times 78 Comments

President Lazarus Chakwera who was this month inaugurated as 6th Head of State and  proclaimed that “time of giving free handouts is past” on Tuesday  splashed K500 000 to members of parliament belonging to his Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  at his Area 6 residence, Nyasa Times understands.

President Chakwera:  Met the MPs to palm oil them

Chakwera splashed the money on the MPs during his meetings with them in four cohorts from morning up to late afternoon in line with the Covid-19 social distancing measures.

The cash handouts to MPs comes hot on heels of Chakwera’s appeal to all Malawians to work hard and that under his administration there will be no freebies and “rewarding noisemakers, hand clappers.”

The cash donation trend first reached madness levels during the reign of Bakili Muluzi from1994 to 2004.

Malawi presidents late Bingu wa Mutharika was also splashing cash, so too Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika.

History repeats itself as they say and some things never change.  This time it is President Chakwera at it.

Only less than a month in office so far K35 million to the MPs – not that he has been literally throwing cash the Muluzi way but if we are to learn from the past that is how it all starts.

These early days in office are an opportunity for President Chakwera to lay down some decent standards as he promised to usher in a “new dawn of government accountability.”

Insiders said President Chakwera is being influenced in his decisions by two of his powerful advisers Samson Lembani and Prince Kapondamgaga who has been appointed as State House Chief of Staff.

“This issue of the MPs being given money came from these two individuals. They have also awarded a contract to renovate Kamuzu Palace to an MCP financier a Trinidad,” said an impeccable source privy to developments at Area 6 residence.

South Africa-based Malawian professor of law, Danwood Chirwa likened Chakwera to the behaviour of reverends that preached one thing in the morning and did exactly what they had condemned in the afternoon.

Chirwa defined Chakwera as a President whose notion of truth seems to change according to the demands of the occasion of his immediate speech.

“Today there can be no doubt about the true colours of the new man leading Malawi. He is clearly beholden to vested interests and incapable of breaking loose of the heavy bonds of indebtedness he’s wrapped himself in. That he professes not to know that he is so beholden makes one even more worried,” he wrote.

In the meetings with the MPs, President Chakwera reportedly blamed ‘some’ Tonse Alliances partners for influencing the controversial Cabinet selection which received a lot of criticism.

Chakwera, the former evangelical preacher is yet to appoint his spokesperson; Press secretary and press officers.

Currently, his maverick speech writer Sean Kampondeni is the executive aide to the President dealing with the media.

Chakwera inherits a country deeply divided, politically, regionally and ethnically. With an economy not much better than it was at independence in 1964, with poverty deeply entrenched, with a government steeped in corruption. And with a Covid-19 pandemic spreading.

He  defeated  immediate past president Peter Mutharika by around 59% to 40% in the 23 June election which was a rerun ordered by the courts of the elections held in May 2019. Mutharika won that election but then Malawi’s Constitutional Court annulled it in February 2020 because of extensive vote rigging.

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78 replies on “Chakwera splashes out K35m to MCP lawmakers: What happened to not giving handouts?”

  1. NTHAWI YA DPP MA 3,500 IMAKHALA NKHANI KOMA LERO POTI AKULAMULA MDI ANGALO HRDC YAKHALA CHEHETE ZODIAK KULI ZII NANJI TIMES KOMA ZA ACHISALE KOMA DZIKO AMBUYE BERANI MSANGA

  3. Koma ine kuipilira Covid19 kuti mwina zinthu zisinthe nde kumapanga chonchi. Ine ndichala chomwecho sichinachoke ink. Ndebola ndikanavotela Mbakuwaku.

  4. Let’s wait but for now ivthink is fake news but if is true the is out of line pls reporters learn to report side by side of the story not one sided bcuz Malawi is not the same one

  5. A pastor must be generous. You have started well mr president. Dont mind about the MP from the tonse alliance. If they need money they should join MCP. Period. MCP is the ruling party and tonse alliance stop to exist the day we voted you as president. Asafuna akakolope nyanja

  6. Thats what we must expect. ONLY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST is the right candidate to not do such, but to chakwera or who else can do the same, even you.

  7. If you are a president of transparency Mr Chakwera please open your mouth on the issue! If not you will be just the same type of failure like you other five predecessor! Bear in mind MALAWI is not your private estate and please remember the limited resources you can spend is not yours…, it is taxpayers money and should be spend wisely, transparent and within the legal framework of our country! I beg you to explain yourself on this! If not, I will not understand on which ground your servant leadership is based!

  8. Would Chakwera really have K35 million cash in his house? And if so would it be government money?
    why has he just given it to MCP MPs only……when all the other Tonse alliance partners are watching?

  12. If it’s true of Chakwera then it’s very unfortunate. Bwana please repent. As a nation we needed to be resisting such extravagant lifestyle and tendencies. Please Chakwera Walk de Talk. This will us in Tonse Alliance fail to probe the rampant corruption scandals. As you address the nation at anytime please say a word on this. Abusa Amalawi anakukhulupilirani zedi kuti mutisinthira mmene takhala tikupangira zinthu.
    We will start questioning ur Presidency motivation. Malawi needs a revolutionary & reformation.
    If it’s rewarding..then to reward whole Tonse Alliance and masses that voted for you. It’s not only ur MPs who voted for you. We all voted.. Don’t have unnecessary impunity but listen to every advise (informal or formal). Dont tear the alliance for the sake of greed,… you’ll regret. We love YOU and LOVE us not only MCP MPs.

  15. Chakwera ndi wadyera. Ankafuna udindo chifukwa cha ndalama. Wakhala akuuza a Malawi kuti zokondera munthu ai. Taono lero watenga ma MP a MCP kuwagawira 0.5 mk each. Why? This is money from treasury and there is strong evidence to this . Next week I will put on this media the copy of the cheque which was cashed to pay these greedy MPs . Just wait and see if you think it’s a lie

  16. Democracy rotten to the core. With this attitude,what can stop soliciting bribes to independent legislatures to vote for bills intended to rape the constitution? Stinky!!!

  17. Apapa ayambakale kunyasidwa ndimgwirizano wawo womwe
    Nkhani akutipinga
    Nanji kuma contract uku

  19. So, as candidate Chakwera not enough money and needed campaign help. As President Chakwera enough money to dish out to MPs…questionable very questionable!

  20. Is this the much touted servant leadership? Or is is it the merit-tonse philosophy that was defined to the nation recently by a certain ex-reverend? This is a glaring inducement. Suddenly Lazaro has risen to be a 36 millionaire. No accountability whatsoever where he is plundering from. Otherwise a real sign of corruption.

  21. Not even one month in office and he is already failing on things he spoke against as opposition. Where did that money come from? I knew this man would be a disaster for Malawi but did not think it would be this soon.

    1. If there’s evidence, why not sue him through the Parliamentary Ethics committee for lying on his campaign promise as well as corruption? Start there or amend the constitution to make sure that such behaviour is considered a transgression of the constitutional law. It could be a start and a first class law suit.
      Don’t just complain, act on it and demonstrate and demand accountability. Let him and his likes know that power belongs to the electorate.

  22. Here is a president who is less than 1 month in office.he hasnt got his first salary and his salary is just around 3 million.now he is splashing money.he stinks corruption.this is money from corrupt barons who have visited him.its shame that he is doing contrary to what he promised

  24. if this is true then mmmh – Malawi will remain poor forever – stealing continues, it only changes sides

    1. Indeed if this is true, this man has let Malawians down. he may be worst than the previous presidents. This is very sad, what is Chilima saying?

  25. Ine ndinkati amene angakhulupilile zolankhula zawandale aliyense paMalawi pano komanso mmaiko achikuda
    Ndithu munthu ameneyo ndi opppussa
    kothelatu
    Onani mbutuma zina zikuti nkhani imeneyi ndiyabodza
    Inu andale simunawadziwebeee

  26. Look at the mess in Haiti, caused by leaders who professed to be Reverends too. Malawi is headed for a very,very rough time with Reverend Chakwera. Its 5 years of looting day and night and the Amwenye and Greek boy have succeeded in buying Reverend Chakwera.

  27. If this is true…i hope it’s not, then I employ HRDC to mobilise the citizens to go on the streets. This is childish leadership. Hiw come Aftican leaders can’t use thrir brains but following advice of stupid ..greedy…selfish advisors. I thought the swesring of csbinet had a word advice..meaning its ministers who supposed to advise the presudent?

  28. The best job in Africa is to be president because once you are there money is no longer what is you to be in your previous job. Millionaires or billionaires overnight. Not long ago the party was in econic difficulties but now its merry ho round if its true Mr
    President that you have dished out manna to your MPs then its wrong nuesating and abhoring its not your MPs who put you there but the poor villager in Kamene Bumphula Sojeni mwazisi who should be thanked. Hit the ground running by giving them their basic needs some immediate some medium and long term not you handclappers. People want change of the way you do things they shouls diffteciate you and the previous guya but so far you are same soup in different dishes

  29. In the West you never hear about the prime minister splashing money to Mps. What the hell is wrong with us. Even if it is yours, at your level it simply does not reflect well.

    2. It does happen UK PM Teresa may sent £5 billion to Northern ireland so that the irishbpart should be on her side to make a majority. Just google UK minister bungs you will see loads

  32. I surely hope this is fake news. Otherwise this would be a betrayal of the highest order. Mxii! Malawi can’t even have a break! Ase!

    But again, I surely hope all this is fake news. Lord have mercy!

  34. If this is true, this is a bad idea Mr President. This is what actually encourages corruption, you will be fighting a losing battle

    1. If you voted for them go and claim osachoka mpaka akupatse ukawuziletu kuti za xxxx sufuna

  36. Tikuphani inu a Nyasa Times if you want to destroy Chakwera’s good reputation ; We got the money as MPs and its our culture to get thank you so what is wrong. Was it your money, Chakwera did not get money from Treasury to give us it is his personal cash so what the fusss

    1. Even the former president when he bought buses for wanderers and nyasa, he said he used his personal money, later it was discovered that the money used was from state account. Hope we are not going for same, my take.

    4. KZN,
      you must be a big idiot honestly, with such dull thinking malawi cant move an inch of social development

    1. This is the west of it all ,if hard outs starts with MPs who are much better than party followers

  41. Let Chakwera speak,Splashing money is not a problem but source from which the money came from.Please Mr President speak where are these money come from

  42. tisinthanso ndithu…………Mr President if this is true…..mwalakwisa improve social service kae.i know kuti iziz simumawerenga cz okuzungulilani amakuphimbani ngati ndinu Mulungu cz ndipodyera pao ndibodza lomwe amanena koma mpando omweo pochokapo ndipamene ambili akumapamva kukoma komanso ambili akufunapo………….sinthani machitidwe ife tilibe nanu zifukwa koma muzichita zolondola zokomera tonse muja munkanenera muja

  43. What is this money for? I need to know if this is a true story otherwise this is mercenary journalism aimed at nothing but to taint somebody’s image. It does not sound to have any grain of truth in it. I am convinced it is done out of malice.

  44. So what, giving his mp is that a problem, was he giving them secretly or not. Thats not news.

  45. Awarding of contract to Trinidad, splashing 35,000,000 eish …HRDC and ACB loose your dogs if malawians are to believe you. Let’s not let this to continue then after change of government we start arrest. Zimayamba chonchi kenako chisawawa mapwevupwevu m,boma

  46. In the Bible we find a story of a certain seer by the name Balaam. Because of the love of money, he was blind to the extent of not seeing an angel from the lord until the donkey spoke. May our Pastor President learn from the story of Balak and Balaam. If a donkey spoke what about human beings?

  48. 500,000 per MP, nde pali nkhani apa ? anthu amaguritsa nkhuku 35000 per chicken ena 75000 per t shirt the 500,000 per MP ndi chani ?

  49. Find out the source of money first before you publish the story.Is this money from the government or from his pocket?Learn to report something in a away that people can understand the meaning and source of the story please.

  50. in two weeks time where have he sourced this money? it starts like this kenoko free for all theift.

  51. Muthalika was worse but i forsee this one being the worst ….Kaya Malawi wokomera tonse uja timuwona

  53. A better Malawi for all, clearing the ruins. #TsogoloLowala #Malawi #Hard_hard_hard_n_hard #THISFLAG 🇲🇼
    #MALAWI_WILL_BE_MALAWI

    1. Ooooo palibe nkhani koma akanakhala APM ndiye ikanakhala ndiwe wachamba kwabasi. Since he promised us that as president can be dragged to court to answer charges levelled against him even though in power so the law will drag him. Iwe Silungwe usadzamubakire bwana wakoyi bcoz this is in the public domain kuti mphamvu ziyenera kuchecpetsedwa so no impunity at all on him

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