Kaliati for price reductions, Dzoole says Malawians have no Aloe Vera in their pockets
Opposition DPP lawmaker for Mulanje West, Patricia Kaliati has called for prices of goods to be reduced to demonstrate that the Kwacha currency has indeed gained currency.
Speaking in Parliament, Kaliati, a former Information Minister, wondered why prices of commodities are still high when Kwacha is being touted to be gaining strength against the major trading currencies like the US Doller and that economy is recovering.
“ A bottle of water is going at K175 now and the basic amenities like water and electricity are very expensive. Fuel which was at K700 per litre is now at K690. What reduction of prices are you talking about? People are also suffering out there,” Kaliati told Parlaiment.
“Today people can only buy 25kgs of maize only from ADMARC markets and the prices are very high and yet this is harvest time. Come August, how much is the price of maize going to be?”
Kaliati added: “ Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to see that when we are clapping hands and saying the Kwacha is appreciating, the prices should also go down. The people who are suffering out there, should be able to access the basic amenities with reasonable prices.”
Also commenting was Vitus Dzoole Mwale an MP of MCP Lilongwe Msozi South who told the House that impoverished Malawi has got big problems to overcome.
“After almost 50 years of independence, one wonders why we still have people in many parts of the country are still battling with dire poverty,” he said.
“As a matter of act, Mr. Speaker, Sir, people will agree with me that there are people who are drinking unsafe water from rivers and other sources. There are people living in grass-thatched houses and in darkness during the night. They cannot afford to buy candles or paraffin.
“There are people walking on foot when going to work, particularly in cities of Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Zomba and Blantyre.”
Dzoole Mwale told Parliament that indicators of poverty are now eminent because people have no money in their pockets.
“They have no Mjabvi; they have no Aloe Vera in their pockets to sustain their lives. The House should know that Mjabvi is K500; Aloe Vera is K1, 000,” he said
He said most of the people are walking barefooted and trashed government’s claim that the economy is now recovering, saying “ it is just mere speculation and political propaganda.”
DzoolE Mwale in President Joyce Banda’s state-of-the-nation address she articulated good policies “so much that with good implementation strategies, this country will develop beyond recognition.”
He however express concern that some of the government ministries do have poor implementation strategies “which are detrimental and consequently, are creating doubts of credibility of the PP led Government and loss of confidence in the public domain.”
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