Kamlepo claims Malawi ministers to ‘cashgate’ OPC budget for political campaign: Bushiri causes storm in Parliament

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri was not in Parliament on Friday but his e name caused storm nearly derailing deliberations as firebrand Rumphi east MP Kamlepo Kalua alleged the government want to secretly give cabinet ministers huge sums of money for campaigns and political machinisations using the bloated Office of President and Cabinet (OPC)  vote budget.

Kamlepo said in his contribution that the government has ballooned the OPC budget from K6.5 billion to K9.7 billion, the highest increase amongst all.

However, this did not go down well with Leader of the House, Francis Kasaira who told Kalua to always tell the truth as a Christian who worships at Prophet Bushiri’s  Enlighted Christian Gathering, a statement that irked the firebrand politician who told the minister that it was wrong for him to mention Prophet Bushiri who was not in the House.

As the two engaged in arguments, with Kasaira looking and sounding calm, Kalua’s tempers flared up and warned the government side he was ready for any fight.

“I am ready for any fight that you people can bring to me. When I was fighting for multiparty democracy, some of you were babies,” said Kalua as some of the MPs on government side shouted wamisala!  [Mad man].

Kasaira said he was quoted out of context saying what he meant was that Kalua and him were both Christians and should aim to tell the truth.

“I am a Christian too, am Catholic. Am not attacking you, I respect you. As Christians we should always say the truth,” said Kasaira to the annoyance of Kalua who said matters of Christianity should be out of the House.

Bushiri has many followers  among  Malawian politicians both in the governing DPP and opposition parties.

Some MPs have been speaking highly of him in the House over his recent maize donations.

First Deputy Speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje ruled Kalua out of order for making allegations without evidence.

MP kicked out

However, Mchinji West MP  Billy Kanjila Banda was  sent out of the Chamber for repeatedly exchanging bitter words with  Chilenje.

Chilenje had told the Mchinji West MP to withdraw his allegation that deputy ministers are earmarked to get K15 million whilst ministers will get a whopping K50 million for political exercises.

When he was asked to withdraw the statement for lack of evidence, the MP accused Chilenje of being a Democratic Progressive Party sympathiser an issue that did not go down well with first deputy speaker.

Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe explained that the K3 billion was pulled together by European Union, UNDP and Norway for Democracy Consolidation Programme.

He said the OPC acts as a secretariat for the programme that involves human rights organisations like CHRR, Nice and Yoneco among others and radio stations that include Capital Radio and MBC.

Gondwe therefore said the government cannot reduce the donor money.

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