Chakwera vows to take govt to task: Uladi wants President Mutharika in Malawi Parliament for grilling
Malawi opposition parties have warned that they will take Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government to task in the forthcoming mid-year budget review of parliament which reconvenes next Monday.
Parliament meets to review the national budget that was passed in June last year.
But leader of opposition and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarous Chakwera said the DPP government “needs to provide clear answers” on economic turmoil bedevilling the nation.
“We will take them to task on what truly happened financially and economically,” said Chakwera.
Chakwera said they will also critically look at the report on the ‘maizegate, the controversial procurement of maize from Zambia which the House has been probing.
He said there will be “tough debate” on matters of national interest.
Chakwera said they will demand answers from Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe on how the budget is being implemented.
MCP said they will also raise the issue on continued electricity problems and the collapsing health system, saying government should ensure that the right to food and essential health services is guaranteed to Malawian citizens by making sure that maize is available in Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) deports and that adequate drug supply is also available in all public hospitals.
On his party, acting leader of erstwhile ruling People’s Party (PP) Uladi Mussa said they will demand President Mutharika to appear in parliament to answer questions in person as leader.
Mussa said he is interested to grill the Head of State “on why his government is not showing interest to prosecute the K236 billion Cashgate case.”
The K236 billion Cashgate – grand corruption – affair took place during the reign of former president Bingu wa Mutharika, brother to the incumbent.
Mussa said he also wants to quiz the President on the increase of maize price top K12,500.
He said: “Poor Malawians are suffering. They are failing to buy maize because the price has been hiked.”
Mussa also said the President should tell the nation how his administration is dealing with the ailing economy that has led to the high cost of living pushing more Malawians in untold poverty and misery.
If Mutharika honours the request for opposition for questions time, this will be the first time in over 20 years when a head of state has answered questions in the House after Bakili Muluzi who faced a myriad of questions in mid 1990s from the then leader of opposition Gwanda Chakuamba when parliament was meeting in Zomba.
The Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya announced that the mid-year budget review will start from Monday February 6 to March 2.
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In Malawi there is no opposition and if we have there is dead opposition or one that doesn’t know its role. The presence of the opposition has never been felt by Malawians, let alone government itself that is why the regime is doing things willy -nilly. An opposition that is fond of barking without biting is just as good as having no opposition at all. Why do you pre-empt your plans other than wait till Parliament opens and you act. By pre-emptying your plans you are actually giving ammunition to your enemies that they will use to shoot and kill.… Read more »
we are all Malawians of which we are lacking transparency and accountability. responsibility is lost. I hope these people will all be arrested after their time. they are all thieves of the highest degree. stupid them all.
I support Chakwera He is a man of GOD. This will make him continue being our leader of opposition for life as it was with his uncle Kamuzu
Chakwera go go we are behind you. We don’t want to give this position of leader of opposition in 2019 to someone. You are fit to be our leader of opposition for life beginning from 2019
Good luck Chakwera
@Mwananyanian umbule anthu akumwela udzatha liti? Even in 2017 you don’t know that parliament can ask the president to appear before it to answer certain questions raised by the house? Do you people (akumwela) read the constitution or u r just too busy kuswana? No wonder for as long as the South is part of Malawi, Malawi will never prosper. Y? Anthu akumwela believe n have faith in umbuli. You thought edukweshoni was expensive but now having tried ignorance u r totally confused zombies.
Here we go again, with attacks – that are personal on the writer (…. ndu mbuli); when you really know nothing of the writter; – that are generalized without connection to the argument (akum’mwera, kutswana, Malawi will never prosper …); – last sentence, about education being expensive, really really blows mind mind; – over the past twenty years, as the piece says, no President has faced Parliament to answer questions: so if that is a Constitutional requirement, why have you not taken a President, including this one, to Court over the issue. – and finally, do not assume that I… Read more »
My watchman comes from Muhuju. A northerner. Mbuli zili ponse ponse even in the north my friend. Just go and have a look at the north, compare it with the south, mbuli zili kuti? You are a fool
Chakwera should not concentrate on parliament only, he should also invade the south to gain morale as things are not working even to their homeland. So jack up chakwera, sell the party in the south by telling them that their leaders are thieves.
It is the Oppositions responsibility to take the Government to task on any relevant issue. Nothing new there. But they should not use that as a licence to abuse the Government, its leaders or parliamentarians. o’Chakwera is fond of doing this. To the detriment of his Party; because every time he does this, Malawians see right through that he’s only hungry for power. And he’s just pumping them to deny him, again, in 2019. (MCP had their tenures, and we all know how that worked out – NOT GOOD.) As for Uladi Mussa’s demand for the President to come and… Read more »
This president can find time to show his face at a Zokonda Amayi dinner but can’t find time for parliament. Sad.
50 + 1 vote musachedwe nayo
Pulezident asalumbilitsidwe pakati pa
Usiku ku manda
Hand over period yokwana
ma comment anu ndiopusa end opanda mzeru… sakubweresa sense iliyonse pa article yomwe yalembedwayi. …
Coment yakoyi ndiye yopepela kuposa zonse. I have heard.something from all the.coments koma uakoyi nde.mbuli.basi