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.

Minister of Finance and Economic planing Goodal Gondwe arrives at Parliament in his Prado VX to present this year’s nataional budget in Parliament

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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winston msowoya
winston msowoya
5 years ago

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.

concerned citizen
concerned citizen
5 years ago

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… Read more »

Concerned citizen
5 years ago

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.

nonsense boma ili
nonsense boma ili
5 years ago

you think of yourself not poor pipo….. right, keep on decampaing……….. NONSENSE GOVRNMENT

google
google
5 years ago

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… Read more »

Northerner
Northerner
5 years ago

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.

LEGO
5 years ago

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!

Health Worker
Health Worker
5 years ago

Meanwhile, the only govt CT Scanner (that serves the whole nation) is down at KCH and needs a spare part costing MK23, 000, 000.

QueenB
QueenB
5 years ago
Reply to  Health Worker

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.

Health Worker
Health Worker
5 years ago
Reply to  QueenB

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.

Che Ntopeya
Che Ntopeya
5 years ago

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 !

Mwinithako
Mwinithako
5 years ago

Clever Thumbukaz.The vehicles have gone to the Thumbukaz not to Lhomwe nor Chewa nor Yawo nor Sena kkkk!!Nde Mthumbuka amaneyoo!!

Tommy
Tommy
5 years ago
Reply to  Mwinithako

😂😂😂😂😂😂

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