Chilima calls on Malawi leader salary cut by half: ‘Immoral to enrich from Covid-19 misfortunes’
State vice-president Saulos Chilika said described a 10 percent pay salary cut for President Mutharika and his 32-member cabinet to cushion the impact of coronavirus on the economy as manifestly inadequate for a country that depends largely on donor funding, and where the virus is starting to be felt, therefore calling for further reduction up to 50 percentand cut on their fuel allowance.
Chilima, who has donated his 100 percent of his estimated K1.7 million monthly salary towards efforts to mobilise resources towards the Covid-19 fight, said at a news conference he held in Lilongwe on Wednesdya tha while he commends the President for cutting pff 10 percent from his salary and that of his bloated Cabinet it is “too little and insignificant.”
He said: “ I, therefore, sincerely request the President and cabinet members to at least donate 50 percent of their salaries and fuel allocations to go toward Covid-19 response.”
Government records show that Mutharika earns about $3,600 a month while his ministers earn about $1,073.
The president, vice president and cabinet members earn large sums of money beyond their salaries through allowances and other benefits.
‘No to self-enrichment’
The move to further cut their salaries and reduce expenditure has been echoed by commentators.
Humphreys Mvula, a social commentator based in Blantyre, also said the President and the Minister should be cutting down expenditures incurred; cost of fuel, cost of telephones, cost of huge fuel bills.
“And why can’t they look at an amount which is bigger that should really be seen as serious contribution?”
Mvula told Voice of America (VOA) that the government should also consider extending the wage cuts to all other political appointees on the public payroll.
Political analyst Vincent Kondowe supports the wage cut but questions how such funds will be directed to the fight against Covid -19.
“Are these resources which are going to be released from salary cuts going to reach the vulnerable people and cushion them against the negative impact that has come about because of Covid-19? History teaches us how [good] intentions by government have not ended up bearing any fruits,” said Kondowe.
Furthermore, the country’s estranged Vice-President proposed that Ministers should not be given any allowance as they undertake their duties in the inter-ministerial committee on Covid-19.
“ No-one should look at this disaster as an opportunity for making money or kudzipepesa. It is immoral to make money other people’s misfortune,” said Chilima.
‘No silly humour’
In his address at the news conference, Chilima also rapped two ministers; the chairperson of Special Cabinet Committee on Covid-19, Minister of Health Jappie Mhango and also Minister of Energy Atupele Muluzi the United Democratic Front (UDF) president.
Chilima said while all Ministers of Health in the whole world were either fighting coronavirus or preparing for it, the country’s Minister of Health, Mhango instead of rallying his troops and marshalling State resources to fight the outbreak , was busy campaigning to be the president of the Malawi Olympic Committee as late as a few weeks ago.
He won the polls.
“Mr. President, do you think this person understands the enormity of the task of protecting millions of your people? Is this the time to be doing petty sports politics? Does he have that luxury?”
In reference to Muluzi, the vice-president said: “ In the same vein, one would be asking exactly what and why did the other Minister donate to China, the largest global manufacturer of medical equipment and drugs? This is the same China that is donating to USA and other Western countries.
“These jokes must stop. We cannot afford this silly humour when lives of Malawians are at stake.”
In his address, Chilima said “extraordinary moments require extraordinary people or leaders to take extraordinary measures.”
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You don’t force someone to give Mr. VP. Nobody forced you to give all your salary. It was out of free will. The president and his ministers did likewise. What is the offence? You can only advise your alliance partner the Reverend to make his donation too.
There is no sanity in what SKC is doing. If he wants to score points he better find other avenues. The very fact that he waited for APM to act and followed later with this advice indicates he is being reactive instead of being proactive. We know he is conjecturing. The question is, will sane Malawians take him seriously or someone acting childishly and shamelessly. I think the latter befits him. Any stupid fellow can come second to score points. Its foolhardy.
I listened to the press conference yesterday made by the VP. I was so ashamed to hear him speak like he does not stay in Malawi. He is speaking things that his boss has already addressed. What i made out of it is that the guy wanted to show that he is around and still relevant when he is not. The guy is indeed dull and full of mamina in his head. The more he talks the more he shows out his foolishness to the society. He requested APM to re-locate to LL. Why? The President has the choice to make on which state house to occupy at what time. Those who want to meet him can do so through teleconferencing to avoid face to face meetings in these days of covid 19. Thats why am saying the guy is full of mamina . You cant tell the President to cut on his salary further at this time. 10% is enough and that of 32 Ministers add up to something. Dont expose your ignorance Saulosi through these press conferences . By the way, where were your Alliance Partners? I thought muziyendera limodzi in in such meetings kuti anthu aone umodzi wanu? Stupid VP
indeed very stupid VP Malawi ever had’
Chilima is a snake oil sales man, sadly Malawians are a gullible vengeful bunch
When the president was announcing his pay cut and the cabinet, why didn’t Chilima announce his cut in the first place before the president, he felt embarrassed that’s the reason why he had to sacrifice giving away his salary to outer his embarrassment, so he must be ashamed and stupid by asking the president to cut all his salary because he has done so.shame to you Chilima, you don’t have powers to tell the president what he should do, it’s better to advise him,on how to combat covid 19 and all prevention measures needed to stop the spread of the pandemic, that can really help,than talking about cutting salaries.
Chilima must stop dragging the president to join him in the ‘race to the bottom’. The president cut his salary and ministers’ by 10% as gesture of freewill and Chilima cut his by 100% also out of freewill (but also misjudged the president’s gesture because Malawi had registered 5 cases at that time).
The Lord loves a cheerful giver, if chilima thinks he has donated too much he is at liberty to revise his donation. But unfortunately chilima went all in, without proper analysis now he can only reduce his donation which will reflect badly. On the other hand apm still has an ace up his sleeve because he can cut his salary further as the Covid19 worsens. Chilima phuma limeneli landidabwitsa…..
Does APM know what electricity, water bills look like? What does he do with his salary?
Most of the commentators seem to have succumbed to the abomavirus.
Chilima has more workable Covid 19 combat ideas than the aged useless APM. Definately DPP cadets are not amused.
Saulo is derided. He is either high on some illegal stuff or he drunk some stuff meant for people 18 years and above. It’s only fair that people in the same category follow him
I’m just here to read the comments😂🤸♀️
ma cadet, mukumva kuwawa eti?!!
Timve kuwawa ndiwachambayi? Chifukwa wanena kuti achita donate salary yake yomwe akumalandira osagwilira ntchito ndiye atikwane pa Malawi pano?
I would like to thank God for coronavirus. We have some entertainment. From prophets donating (and begging for tithes) to presidents out doing each other in halving their salaries (while performing no work) to idiots wearing face masks as a show-off! Enjoy the charade. Everybody.
Chilima is telling the truth, let’s fund our Hospitals , our President is fragile to this Pandemic . Check Boris Johnson the Prime minister of UK , he is in intensive care unit so don’t think Peter Muntharika will be spared for this Coronavirus or so called Coviid19.
Let’s commit our 60% of the budget to this Pandemic rather than enriching themselves. You will leave these earthly resources/ money on this earth while u perish with Corona.
Repent b4 it’s too late.
If u are castigating Chilima bcoz he said the truth then u will remember him while dying with Corona.
Zomba mental hospital material
Well said Chilima if Atupele Muluzi has heart and welfare of the people then let him donate to our hospitals than making silly donation to China the very rich and developed country while leaving and doing nothing to our poorly funded Hospitals .
Don’t just look for Votes from these poor people and mind u all borders are closed once u fall sick with this Corona Wether u are a President of this poor nation called Malawi or u are ministers , the end result is that we will be going to the same abandoned Hospital called Queen Elizabeth hospital or Lilongwe central hospital even mzuzu central hospital.
There will be no flight to India, UK, South Africa to look for better treatment. So think again .
I rest my case.
SKC if it were me better remain quiet than what you are doing. We have been saying that if you want politics just resign from vice presidency because how can you work against your boss always? Issue ya salary cut ananena kale 10% cut including APM himself so why are you targetting APM to cut his salary by half and yako wosayikhudza ndi umunthu uwu? if anything it should start with you za half komanso what you should the president is the one driving the country so if you feel kumapita ku social media ndiye koyendetsera dziko chauliyako bcoz anthu anena zambiri zoti APM akunama when he declared a disaster nation and u kept quiet without supporting him. Kodi anthu inu ndinu a mtundu wanji woti chirichonse chochita mnzanu or chimodzi kuyamikirako? Kodi mumadziwa kuti ife there are ppo with such thinking they dont excel in life? What you should know you deal with live ppo and not the dead ppo who can not think. Living ppo do think and articulate issues and make their own decisions out of your circles hence no wonder when many they fall in politics bcoz they think all who come at their rallies they go back with what has been addressed to them without knowing that when they go back they take time to scrutinize them properly and make conclusions. Inu zoti APM analamula kale kuti misonkho achotse, kukhale tax holiday for six months, alembe ma nurse ena, etc moti simunamve kuti APM analankhula kale zimenezo and inu mukubwera kuti muwoneke ngati wanzeru zomwe mnzanu wachita kale monga iye amene akulamulira dziko shame on you! Mpando sitithamangira amapatsa mchauta wa kumwambayi mukhaula anthu inu Lazarus ndo Saulos God cannot give you leadership NOT AT ALL!
Polani moto bwana. You are acting like a baby. I know you are capable but do not stoop so low.
Ma Khadete, appreciate a free a advise and borrow a leaf to spice up your clueless and under panic regime. All these measures would have been implemented long time ago. Pano Colona in already here. sinthawi ya ukhadete iyi.
..a poor widow paid a coin while a pharese paid thousands and despised the widow.But in the eyes of God it was the widow who paid with all her heart and God was happy.Izi zoziwonesela popeleka kuti ur paying more than ur friends and ur better hypocrisy u idiot!just Shut up! You are not working as VP but getting all the salary.You are making ur worthy thru crooked way and u want to tell us that money is holy? Go to hell!
A @braveheart tsopano!
Kkkkkkk. What an analogy! Totally irrelevant and misplaced in this context. I am sure you posted the comment in the comfort of your home (with the hope and knowledge that you will be safe from the virus, otherwise I don’t think you would have even dared say anything – uli mchipatala? Ukufuna mankhwala? I doubt that).
This has nothing to do with giving from the heart. It’s more of giving from the deep pockets. We need a lot of money as kindness will not help in this case. FYI – I am based in South Africa and the South African billionaires – Ruperts, Oppeinheimers, Motsepes donated a billion rand each when the president called for donations. The families I mentioned are not darlings for South Africans (for different reasons) but you want to tell me their donations should have been rejected? And they have huge strings attached too. So in this case the fund that was set up should have rejected the billionaires’ donations in preference to ‘small change’ from donors without controversy?
Beggars cannot be choosers amwene. We need all the money we can get. Full stop.
Ma comment enawa amachita kuwonekera’tu kuti someone has an axe to grind with Chilima as a person. Kkkkkkkkk
So did Rupert or Motsepe asked anyone to donate out of their will?they did donate and keep quite! Thus wat am talking about.Even SA govt did not ask billionaires to donate 1 billion each.NO! They did it out of their will.After all u can’t talk about deep pocket from someone’s salary as if it’s a constitutional.This is coming out of will.So who is Chilima to tell someone to donate half his salary..or who told Chilima to donate his salary?no one! So he better shut up!
That mask reminds me of bane, the masked man in the dark night rises. Very dangerous vice president
The chilima command centre is laughable. Seems it’s purpose is to advise the apm on what to do and comes on the heels of presidential decrees. Somebody take chilima to St John of god for psychiatric evaluation. The VP is losing some basic faculties. He has realised that his presidential ambitions are in tatters.
This idea of chilima command centre with purpose of shadowing apm response to Covid19 is miserable at best. Worst VP ever who is earmarked for runningmate to leader of opposition. Mcp you are being warned, stay away from this mad man
This is a waste of time on the part of Chilima. Trying hard to be relevant is making him look stupid.
Give me a break, Chilima. What are you talking about?
BEBE…..you are already on a corona virus break BEBEEEE!!! Too forgetful, you need to be reminded always…..you will forget to dress up one morning kkkkkkkk
Chilima wachita misala ndithu. All what he is talking about is petty and useless.
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Bola kamwanaka kamalankhulako mwanzeru. Osati madala amalankhula mbwelera dzulo cha mma 10 pm aja. Bakha type of reasoning.”MCP is discouraging people to register in their own stronghold.” Bulshit.