HRDC add  its voice of reason to Chakwera on MPs housing project: ´Prioritise urgent projects’

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has said it  doesn’t oppose the plans by President Lazarus Chakwera  to build houses for members of parliament (MPs) in their constituency which has come under heavy resistance from the opposition and some section of the society, however it has urged government to prioritise other more urgent projects such as new schools.

The opposition and analysts have chided the move and, instead, advised Chakwera to priotise constructing houses for civil servants including teachers and health workers.

HRDC leaders said they agreed with the voice of reason to prioritise other projects than the MPs houses.

The coalition said this on Wednesday when addressing the media in Lilongwe.

Chakwera announced the MPs housing project in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) address last Friday.

State House press team said the project will be financed by unnamed investor.

But in a supplementary question to Chakwera during the HEQs, MP for Nkhotakota North East Martha Lunji asked the President to name the investor of the project and at how much it will cost “so that we should know the cost of the project.”

The President did not mention the investor and the cost.

Meanwhile, HRDC has  asked  people who have information about corruption in the new administration should also step forward with the information to the coalition.

HRDC executire director Gift Trapence  said the coalition through its whistleblowing on corruption initiative has uncovered a lot of illegal land transactions at the Ministry of Lands.

“Most women have also come forward to complain about land grabbing,” said Trapence.

HRDC said also that it will issue a report on companies that dominated contracts in the previous government.

Trapence said  there are 10  companies that have monopolized business which the Competition and Fair Trading Commission should review.

HRDC has also welcomed the gazzeting of the Access To Information law and has called upon all Malawians to ensure the law is being utilized by making information requests to various government agencies.

The coalition has revealed that it has requested Blantyre City Council to release documents on sale of land at Chichiri, Blantyre where the Keza building is located.