Kabwila justifies ‘inept’ tag on Mutharika, DPP:  Raps inflationaly K2,000 new bank note

Salima North-West Member of Parliament Jessies Kabwila on Thursday justified the tag of “inept” being used for President Peter Mutharika and his administration, saying Malawi faces an unprecedented number of serious challenges, and Malawians  are struggling to make ends meet.

Kabwila was speaking in parliament after standing on a point of order when Democratic Progressive Party ((DPP) MP forLilongwe City South East, Bentry Namasasu querried to use the word “inept” reflecting on government , saying it was subjective and flawed.

But Kwabila said it was “grossly out of order” for Namasasu t to even dare to question the description of “inept”, saying since Parliament started sitting the Executive is failing to take questions for legislators

“I think let us just focus on the fact that  Committees should do their work, which I agree,  but for us  to sit here and insult the intelligence of Malawians on whether people are inept, I think we are pushing the envelope too far,” she said.

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya pointed out that the word “inept” means “incapable”.

He said the MP was entitled to his opinion to use the word and encouraged Namasasu to explain how capable the government of the day is.

Namasasu said: “Government has already displayed that it is capable. Otherwise, we would not have survived up to this moment, Mr Speaker, Sir.”

But opposition MPs said Malawians were starting to feel the pinch as  things have got worse, not better.

Meanwhile, on Friday in Palriament, Kabwila  criticised the introduction of K2,000 new bank note  when the country has other notes in circulation which are not valued.

“You talk of the twenty, fifty kwacha’s which are not valuable on the market, yet government thinks of introducing another note to the same market,” said Kabwila.

According to Kabwila, the introduction of the new note is an indication that government is failing to reinstate the economy and that the inflation rate is going up.

“Furthermore let the Minister explain to this august house as of why it has thought of putting John Chilembwe on the new note leaving out the founder of this nation Kamuzu Banda on the K 1000 note which is lower, “ she noted.

Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Planning, Goodall Gondwe agreed with Kabwila that the introduction of the new note is as a result of inflation but was quick to say that it is not as high as they assume.

Gondwe said they should not politice the use of  Chilembwe on the K2000 note while Kamuzu is on the K1000 note.

“Let us move the issue away from our emotions. United States founder George Washington, is on one dollar while the leaders who came after him are on higher notes than his. Let us not politicize this, there is no issue here.

Gondwe also said Malawi will not stop at K2000 note as “time will come when a more higher note will be introduced to the market,”.

The Reserve Bank of Malawi recently announced that it will on December 19,2016 introduce a K 2000 note into circulation.