Malawi govt under fire for blowing K420 million on three ministers luxury cars
Government’s executive arrogance and impunity has reached new levels with revelations that it has blown a whooping K420 million on new cars for three of its cabinet ministers.
With tax-payers money, Capital Hill has bought three top of the range Toyota Prado VX vehicles for three cabinet ministers namely Jappie Mhango, Grace Chiumia and Goodall Gondwe.
Government officials confirmed of the new purchase saying the three ministers ‘did not have’ cars.
Principal Secretary for Office of the President and Cabinet Cliff Chiunda confirmed that government ‘has only bought three vehicles because these ministers had no vehicles’.
Political Analysts believe the expenditure is a sign of executive arrogance and impunity especially coming at a time when the country’s economy has taken a knock.
“We are sailing in economic troubles and the last thing that government needed to do is to be insensitive and spend K420 million on only three people. This is a sign of executive arrogance,” said a political analyst.
Malawi’s daily newspaper, the Daily Times condemned the purchase in its editorial comment.
“So the purchase of the three luxurious vehicles only shows that the country’s democracy is visionless and heartless.”
“Great leaders do not build themselves up. They build others up and they build multitudes out of poverty, misery and hopelessness. It is all about sacrifice,” reads the comment in part.
It continues to say that it is not news in Malawi that some hospitals are running without essential drugs, schools are lacking essential teaching and learning materials, some roads are impassable and civil servants continue grumbling because of meagre salaries.
In its poverty assessment report released in 2017, the World Bank said overrepresentation of poverty in rural areas has kept national poverty levels stagnant, declining only from 52 percent to 51 percent, whereas the share of extreme poor has risen from 22 percent to 25 percent since 2004.
“It beats the reasoning of many that the government has spent about K420 million to buy Land Cruiser Prado VXs for three Cabinet ministers said to have had no vehicles.On the local market, a top-of-the-range Toyota Prado VX is selling at K140 million each with duty paid.”
“Of course, K420 million could have assisted in alleviating some of the challenges the country is facing,” reads the paper’s comment in part.
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The name MWINITHAKO describes what type of a person he/she is.What have these three cars to do with Tumbukas?Is Mwinithako a moving soul or a misguided dragon? in Mangoche a number of Ambulances were delivered to help our people,nobody complained over that because Mangoche is part of our country you like it or not.Mwinithako,you are a shaming the patriotic people of Malawi,a wise person could not have written that gibberish.
We are not saying that government should not buy good vehicles for the ministers. It has been seen in other countries here in Africa where governments in far much better economic status; ministers are using much lesser expensive vehicles. This shows that those governments have prudence in how they spend their tax payers money. Our leaders here in Malawi love to live extravagant lives at the expense of critical basic needs of the citizens . Go to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and see where patients are sleeping . No bed sheets and blankets provided for many. Patients have to bring their own while ministers are riding in Mk 140,000,000 fuel guzling 4×4 vehicles. Do they need an expensive four wheel drive ?. Where do they go with a 4×4? We never see them in the remote areas where the poor are living to see for them selves first hand how life is out there, where there are very poor roads that need a 4×4 vehicle . I will give an example of a head of state here in Africa, who refused to have a presidential jet replaced saying , there were critical needs for the country that needed their government’s attention than to buy a new presidential jet. These are the kind of people who love their country and are willing to put aside luxuries for the sake of the national needs.
Misplaced priorities.
Prioritising consumption at the expense of production.
Looking at all our neighbouring countries, they are prospering and yet we are the poorest country in the world, can’t you minister’s stop and ask yourselves why?
You have little regard for the plight of the average Malawian. We are into the four year of poor power supply and still the there is no clear plan in sight. The best you can do is reward yourselves with Prados for no work done.
You are more than a joke.
you think of yourself not poor pipo….. right, keep on decampaing……….. NONSENSE GOVRNMENT
Yes they are entitled, but who created this killer entitlements, it is Malawi, we are not South Africa, I strongly condemn the buying of such expensive luxury cars to Leader pf opposition, Speaker, and the 3 ministers. I agree with the recent pastoral letter of our Bishops that said both the ruling and opposition parties are rotten, they have abused our hard earned democracy. Democracy is sweet and nice but here in Malawi it is sour. Can Chakwera effectively oppose this while he is riding in the same expensive prado? rotten Chakwera!! rotten ministers!! rotten speaker rotten Malawi democracy.
Our only hope is Chilima but still iyeyu si mnjero ayi wayamwiranso zomwezi . IT IS ONLY KAMPLEPO WHO CAN BE ALLOWED TO PRUDENTLY QUESTION THESE ENEMIES OF MALAWI, FOTSECK!!!
Very shallow thinkers in Malawi.
You are complaining in an article because they bought Government vehicles with tax payers money.
You wanted them to buy with their own personal money?
These people could be removed from the post tomorrow, are they going to take the vehicles home?
Was it the minister of finance decision to buy the vehicles?
Malawi has more that a fair share of idiots.
So the Malawi Government has got money,K430 million on only 3 ministers.If i may ask you here guys,how much is a salary for a primary school teacher,secondary school teacher,police,soldiers etc?So if these people decide to strike will the Government or anyone blame these people for striking?Besides all these,with K430 million,how many school desks were suppose to be bought?This Government is joke and they are not ashamed of what they are doing because they are heartless.Please come May 2019!
Meanwhile, the only govt CT Scanner (that serves the whole nation) is down at KCH and needs a spare part costing MK23, 000, 000.
Or buy new and advanced CT scanners from the US which costs $30,000. K420 million could have bought 19 of them which could have been distributed to district hospitals including KCH and Queens.
No, a CT scanner costs way more than that!! Especially the advanced ones youre talking about, they cost more that the 420million kwacha in question. MK23mil on the other hand, is not a lot of money to the government. We need the CT Scanner. Poor Malawians cannot afford to pay hundreds of thousands of kwachas for a ct scan at pvt hospitals.
Jappie had no vehicle. He was using a pool vehicle for the Ministry, a hilux. Talking about the pricing I believe the quoted includes duty which gov’t does not pay so the actual cost is less. The UK minister’s people are talking about using bicycles is a big joke, difference should be made when one is performing official duties or mere riding for fun or exercising. You even contributed in purchasing a vehicle for your church pastor !
Clever Thumbukaz.The vehicles have gone to the Thumbukaz not to Lhomwe nor Chewa nor Yawo nor Sena kkkk!!Nde Mthumbuka amaneyoo!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂
It is morethan sad in a poverty stricken country like Malawi,to waste MK420 million on buying three luxury cars for embicile and unimpressive Ministers while the economy of the State is deep in sinkhole the worst in Southern Africa.Right now,what we need most are medical facilities including medicines,bed-sheets,ambulances,food for the massive people of our populations,creation of jobs,repairing of power machines and many other essential commodities for human consuptions.What have these three cars to do with the living standard of our people? What is wrong with these so-called leaders? We had already seen the Sanjikas,Ndatas,mausoleums and many others which have no use to our people’s lives.But at this stage,does Mr.G.Gondwe still needs luxurious and expensive materials instead of building modern homes for our Police men and women? Where is Malawi heading to after 54 years of nationhood.?You so-called leaders must be ashamed of yourselves!!!!!!!!
I need to be educated here, the issue to me is not whether vehicles have been bought or not but whether the vehicles are within the ministerial entitlement or not. I recall the time government bought a prado landcruser for the leader of opposition the country’s economy was in a much worse situation than it is today. I did not find the issue news worthy because the leader of opposition was entitled. So too in the current situation it is not news worthy because the ministers are entitled to the type of vehicles in question. Nsanje basi a Malawi!!!!!!!!
Ukanakhala chimanga iweyo umafunika kukazinga ndi kutaya mchimbudzi chokumba…………………………………!!
You seem not to have the term in “you”!! While mistakes are inevitable, the wise do not repeat a single mistake!! Are those Malawians complaining of not receiving services from government facilities “NOT ENTITLED?” Mind you, its them paying tax, and the money is theirs not yours!! Chindere chakufikapo indeed…………………..!! Umamwa madzi ometera……………………………….!
Inunso achitsiru,you don’t have brain
You don’t have a point,jealous over what now?Don’t you see how much people are suffering?How did you see the picture showing standard 8 pupils writing their final exams on a floor and pan bricks?Were you happy?You must be ashamed of yourself even if you are pro DPP but its not about everything yes boss(INDE BWANA)
Only booty lickers like you don’t see a problem. Where is it written that ministers are supposed to have such expensive vehicles? There was an option to buy cheaper vehicles.
Malawians, we need to be serious. Even a small child can understand that these ministers have had their allocated vehicles all along. It’s not true that they did not have cars. When you don’t have essential basic necessities, the worst you can do is to buy luxury materials.
While it may be argued that the amount is not much, sometimes what matters is the principle and not necessarily the amount. There is a potential that similar inconsiderate expenditures involving huge amounts are made elsewhere, only that they have not gone through media eyes
Seriously we lack consistency. When parliament bought cars for the Speaker & Leader of Opposition, there was support that they needed the vehicles.
So this is now an issue only because ministers have bought cars? It’s fine to have views for or against but expenditure is expenditure regardless of the initiator.
People are dying in hospitals because there are no drugs; students are writing exams on the floor (without desk); children are going to sleep hungry and yet three ministers find it wise to procure luxurious vehicles. This government is seriously out of touch with reality. Why doesn’t it just go ahead and buy a luxury jet for the president. I am praying that the next governing party sells all ministerial vehicles and buy reasonably priced cars that can still do the job. What is it with African leaders when it comes to living in luxurious state houses, expensive convoys, tight and expensive security etc. Its like a curse.
This old mdala is a devil worshiper. he is killing his people! supplying blood and amenewo ndi malipiro he is a supplier wa magazi mmanja
In our country where standard 8 children are writing MANEB exams on the bear floor and you are spending these obscene amounts on 3cars.
Where is your conscious? This is an abuse of our hard earned taxes.
We expect you to spend such money on desks, our hospitals etc.
Develop our country and stop milking 🥛 it to death. It is as if our country is on life support in the ICU.
This is very unfortunate, deliverance day is coming next year in May
Mmafuna aziyenda pansi?
Are you serious? Your brain is OK. I think you need to see a psychiatrist.
Its high time iweyo ndi ambuyako wo needed to start to be reasonable………………………………. osakhala zimene mukuchitazi………………………………. anthu akamakudandaulani chonchi timva kuti wina chigalimotocho wagwa nacho………………………………………………….!!
420,000,000 Mk ok fine
AND YET OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE NORTH ARE CRYING DAY AND NIGHT FOR
AN AIRPORT —THIS MONEY HALF WAYS COULD HELP IN GROUND WORKS -‘-MALAWI NEEDS COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM FOR SURE —
air port ndege zake ziti
Sure, a car for old overstayed Ministers with devices for people with special needs, optional wheelchairs, adds up to the cost tremendously!
Alternatively HE, you could consider a reshuffle including yourself! Pampers for the “babies” might be cheaper?!
If not it get solved by us the voters next year!
Did you expect cabinet ministers to walk or use their personal cars. Be realistic people. It’s like how you say the president stays in expensive hotels when he travels? Yes, for God’s sake he is the president, do you expect him to stay in a lodge or a b&b? Common opposition? Take a dig at where it is necessary, not just for the sake of uttering unrealism.
Ndiwe chitsiru kwambiri ndiposo ndiwe mfiti. Sanati a minister asawagulire galimoto kapena a president akagone ku Lodge. Anthu mumamidzi umu akugona ndinjala pamtunda wopanda bulangete, anthu akufa ndimatenda ochizika chifukwa chopanda mankhwala muzipatala. Chimene akunena anthuwa ndichoti boma linakaganizira kaye zinthu zofunikira kwambiri ndipamene azipanga zinazi. Did Jappie stop moving around because he did not have a vehicle. He has been up and down the country, we know that. I very much pray to the almighty to put a cast on you.
Choke iwe nyani iwe etiiii
Woyee, can you for a moment read the response from the PS of OPC again; they bought three vehicles for 3 ministers who did not have cars. For heavens sake, what were they using till now. Doesn’t that response alone wake your sense Woyee to reason that there’s certainly something fishy. Be that as it may, the purchase could have been postponed until the economy is in good shape. Its the only sensible thing to do especially from those preaching austerity budget.
You are such an idiot yourself. Common African minister why prado? Even UK Boris Johnson uses a bike so what more with a poverty stricken country like Malawi
It would be unseemly for sure to have our public officers walking or taking a cab to go about their business. But really guys almost half a billion kwacha when there are no drugs in hospitals when the economy is at a standstill? I feel our priorities are misplaced because if we are to be honest it’s not necessarily true that they didn’t have other official cars. I dont think as a nation we are so well off to afford this luxury.