Goodall refuses to resign: ‘Some elements using K4bn controversy to distablise Malawi’
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has scoffed at calls for his resignation over K4 billion allocation made to parliamentarians during the Mid-Term Budget Review Meeting as the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accuses leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of the plot to champion the breakup of the country.
CSOs’ representatives, Gift Trapence, who is also Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) executive director, said the CSOs were not impressed by Gondwe’s explanations when they met him on Friday and still want him to resign or President Peter Mutharika to fire him alongside Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa.
The two ministers are accused of the allocation which Parliament authorised after Malawi News revelations that it had initially targeted lawmakers who support government agenda, and then it was shared to all 193 members despite opposition calls that the transaction was fraudulent.
“Why should I resign? When you have done no wrong, you don’t resign. They [CSOs] agree that I have not done anything illegal,” said Gondwe after meeting the CSOs.
Gondwe insists that he acted within the law and therefore those calling for his resignation are just out to tarnish my his name, saying he clearly explained facts of the matter to the CSOs and they agree that the money has not been disbursed and that the transaction is not illegal.
“We will use the Village Development Committees and Area Development Committees, to have a say on how this money is going to be used. And if the money is available, that is what we are going to do. And nobody is going to resign. Why should we resign? What are the reasons? There is absolutely no reason for it and therefore we will just ignore that,” Gondwe said.
He added: “If there was an agreement or an understanding that indeed we broke the law, we made wrong decisions, yes [we could resign]. But all what is being said is that morality could not understand this. We should have done differently and then we should withdraw it. They have not proved that. The government will continue with this programme.”
The civil society, apart from Trapence, was represented by Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo, activist Billy Mayaya and Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka.
They have hinted resorting to court action and mass street protests if the two ministers do not step down or be relieved of their duties.
During the Maizegate, a misprocurement scandal of maize from Zambia, some CSOs, including those represented in Friday’s dialogue, obtained a court order compelling Mutharika to fire then Agriculture Minister George Chaponda when the President rejected calls for his dismissal.
During Friday’s meeting at Capital Hill, Gondwe was accompanied by presidential aides, Hetherwick Ntaba and Mabvuto Bamusi, Minister of Industry and Trade, Henry Mussa, Treasury spokesman Davis Sado.
Ntaba, who is also Vice President of DPP, said Gondwe cleared the mist on the funding and that any continued boiling of the matter will be viewed as ulterior motive by the rights defenders.
The DPP fear the CSOs is being pushed by an opposition agenda to destabilise Malawi.
The opposition is said to be mobilising some questionable elements under the cover of civil society groups on machinations against the country’s legitimate authority and sovereignty.
But the CSOs insisting they are acting on ensuring transparency and accountability.
“The issue for us is about accountability. We are not against the idea that money should go to Malawians. That’s what we want and we know that the funds we have do not even reach the rural masses through corruption. What we have been trying to do is to make sure that the channels we use to reach out in terms of the social services that we deliver should be good,” Trapence said.
He said looking at how the whole issue was handled, the solution is that the Minister should just cancel the whole allocation
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Nankhumwa must gooooooooooooo,, he is the thief who created all this 4 billion mess. He wanted to steal this money. Brainless thief. Nankhumwa you will be arrested soon. Mark my words. You will be the first. Ma CSO people must go on strike till Nankhumwa is fired!!!! Bloody thief/okuba
Muli naye nkhanitu Nankhumwayi. Surely simukugona tulo. Goodall asapange resign koma Nankhumwa, why?
Gondwe ndi chi mfiti chamagazi mmanja he is a devil
MALAWI, UNITE FOR OPERATION CHOTSA MBAVA M’BOMA NOW.
KA DEMO KAYENDE BASI!!!!
Why is it that when these thieves are caught stealing our money they always talk of opposition colluding with CSO leaders to destabilising Malawi? How much money will you steal by the time you go?
Achanganya awa anazolowera kudya zonona kumayiko akunja ndiposo alibe maganizo odzakhala kuMalawi maudindo awo akatha. Kuchita kuwonekeratu kuti alibiletu chidwi chothandiza kuti Malawi atukuke. Posachedwapa tamva kuti boma lapereka ndalama zankhaninkhani ku ADMARC koma chonsecho nkhani zaku ADMARC zowononga ndalama sizinathe.
CSO have to engage a higher gear to force Goodall, the Judas Iscariot out of the treasury. Goodall simply stole k4 billion tax payers money to ENRICH the 193 MPs who already get more money from government compared to the kind of work they do. Goodall calls stealing by a new name; BUDGET BY PASS. Goodall must go and CSO are not doing enough to help matters. CSO must engage the public more so that we should push these conscienceless thieves out of government. OPERATION CHOTSA MBAVA M’BOMA MUST BE INTENSIFIED NOW!!!
In my view, Goodall Gondwe is one person who has let down the people of Malawi many a times. If only he had a sound conscience and if only he could listen to the inner voice from his soul, he could then have been remorseful for all the evil he has perpetrated leading to the suffering of millions of Malawian in several ways.
Unfortunately, it seems he has no sound conscience.
Mr Goodall Gondwe was an economic advisor during the tenure of the first president post the one party era in Malawi. A period in which the political elite formed a cacophony of kleptocrats that looted the country of billions. Some cases remain unresolved to the present.
Then came the “economic engineer” late Bingo waMuntharika. During his reign old Goodall Gondwe Was The Finance minister, like he is today. As the purse keeper, he oversaw the continued plunder of public resources with such savagery by political cronies with an insatiable appetite almost impossible to whet. This went on during the time of our default lady president under whose reign Was The purported uncovering of Cashgate. What a malaise, a sickness so malignant. Exit president Joyce Banda enter the Professor brother to Bingo. Bang! We are still stuck with Goodall Hinder. A lot has happened, we still borrow but where the money goes Lord knows. Lord knows who pockets those funds and for what use. 2018 here we are, Goodall’s magic wand spots billions floating in thin air. He conjures his magic and miraculously decides to pick his favored children to partake in sharing the financial cake. Irrespective of the naivety by those outcast children who cried out loud and eventually got a promise to have a share in the cake, it is indisputable that this cannot go without any explanation.
Recent revelations tell where the billions were “sucked out” from. This is notwithstanding the several inconsistent earlier attempts to explain away the matter. What all this speaks of is plunder of resources that is systematic and at the sometime systemic in our government.
Here is one old man who has over the years been trusted by our leaders with our purse and all activities attendant to it. He is the very same person who has oversen rats making holes, rats enter into the purse and come out fat with lots of smiles. Undoubtedly, he has had golden handshakes with such kleptocrats in the process over the years.
The question now becomes, if my foregoing are true do we as a country have any more trust and confidence in Mr Hinder to keep our purse? Has Mr Hinder not overseen the plunder of financial resources of the nation and the resultant adverse consequences on the citizenery?
If only this man had a soul and a fully functional conscience, he would have done the needful and stand up for Malawi.
Hon Gondwe please resign now! Your legacy is falling apart. Bad company corrupts good morals
We are closing in on them. Their old ages will punish them soon, no mercy.
Goodall needs to be reminded that what he presents for parliamentary approval is a consolidated budget. The PLANNING STARTS from individual sectors at district councils level, reviewed with technical inputs from technocratics at ministry central level then finally cabinet. Not the OTHER WAY ROUND???
What Dada Gondwe is saying makes sense only to himself and probably dpp thieves. Lero anena za grant, anena za experiment, endless blaah, blaahs!!!
Ndi mavuto a zachuma onsewa, ndi dziko lopanga experiment ndi ndalama za boma ili? You are the one destabilising the country?
MBAVA za chigogo. SHAME!!!
No matter how loud Malawians cry or shout, these unhonourable members won’t resign. The evil spirit has taken hold of their souls; they’re numb to the core. The only thing remaining is for the church and tribal leaders to exorcise this evil/dark spirit from these souls. This evil spirit seem to have found home in the cabinet ministers, MP’s, civil servants and finding its way into the private sector. I also hear that it has successfully captured a significant number of councillors, chiefs (and it’s subjects right in their villages). I am therefore making a plea to church and tribal leaders, to urgently exorcise those affected, from this evil and dark spirit, urgently otherwise we will have no country to talk of. Unfortunately it seems to me that those who are possessed don’t even know but I see them crying for help. We can hear the evil spirit speaking loudly through the mouths of otherwise credible people albeit incoherently; we hear it on the radio, we watch on TV fully disguised human beings. It feels like Malawi is under siege with this evil spirit that has taken over people’s lives..
The other way of dealing with this corruption surge is to force these unhonourable members to stay put in their offices so that we can castigate them, shout at them, throw stones at them, undermine them; until they have sleepless nights. We will then vote them back in util they don’t stand anymore. Its the best punishment that is within the reach of the ordinary citizens.
#DzukaniAmalawi. Kunja kwacha!!!!!!!
Executive arrogance at its lowest ebb. Poor Malawi. Cry my beloved country!
How many VDCs or ADCs do we have per Consituency? Who will be monitoring the process and where will the constructors be answerable to? If its Central Government have they stopped corruption and now are capable at overseeing development projects ? When did they become people that takes the walfare of the people at heart? Never,Never,Never cheat us cheat the unborn.
These old woods (mafias )
Are taking MALAWIANS for
granted
THIS NONSENSE CANNOT
HAPPEN IN ZAMBIA
Do not drag Zambia into this MARABISHI. WE CHIPUBA IWE KABOKE, KOSWE MU MPOTO
The names mentioned are the same names who have long ago created an agenda to destablise the government but unfortunately have been goofing. The government should expect more of this as we approach the elections day. The opposition on its own has clearly seen that it cannot make it into government. And these CSOs can see that on their own cannot achieve their evil goals hence they need backing from Chakwera. The 50+1 loss is a painful defeat to these CSOs and their backers in MCP. The joining of Maurice Munthali to MCP is another desperate move to atleast add strength for defeating DPP. But what is it in Munthali that can bring change in MCP? These CSOs are just wasting their time because none is taking them seriously that is why nothing is happening after too much talk. Go to the street now and see how many will participate. If PAC can cancel the demos after too much noise who are these snake-like names, the Kajolowekas? Gondwe is right in his response and should just go ahead with the plans. Government should deal directly with the people who are the owners of the money. Mkuona ngati bomali ndi la makape? Wosadabwa momwe anakupindirani pa 50+1?
Ndizoona mwadya zambiri nanga mutasiya ana mulera bwanji
Why is it that every time DPP does something wrong and people criticize it of the wrong doing, they accuse those censoring them of having plans to destabilize the country? Does this country belong to Ntaba and his surrogates only? DPP is a minority government ushered in by the courts. Goodal is a real thief. He falsely issued a Forex License to Chaponda that was never renewed even when DPP was out of government. This old man deserve a good retirement home befitting his actions and the place is none other than Prison.