Malawi Ministers get Covid-19 allowances, compensate on salary cut

Cabinet ministers  are  drawing allowances for coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic assignments, it has been revealed  after  government spokesman had denied  the  matter but an internal communication at Capital Hill has revealed  the taxpayers are  financing travel allowances for the ministers and their travel party.

Minister of Information, ICT and Civic Education Mark Botomani  refuses to comment after revelations of ministers drawing allowances on Covid-19

“May controlling officers submit this morning [Monday] to the Ministry of Disaster Management Affairs, by way of memos, all officials and support staff accompanying the ministers, indicating names, name of banks and account numbers and vehicle registration numbers for processing of allowances and fuel arrangement,” reads the leaked  communication seen by Nyasa Times.

The internal communication on  field trips  further reads : “ The contact person for these transactions is Mr Dyce Nkhoma, deputy director  of response and recovery [Ministry of Disaster Management Affairs and Public Events].”

Nkhoma has confirmed  that he is coordinating the funds  but that Office of the President and  Cabinet (OPC) is the one which is “responsible for the budget and funding.”

The issue of allowances comes at a time  when President Peter Mutharika ordered a 10 percent pay cut for himself and his 32-member cabinet to cushion the impact of coronavirus on the economy.

But while the government is to direct the resources to the fight against the virus pandemic,  the ministers in Covid-19  Committee are  in self-enrichment drawing allowances together with members of parliament belonging to the Committee on Health for the  field trips on pretext of assessing preparedness of Covid-19 at district level.

Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communication Technology, Mark Botomani, a member of the Cabinet committee and official government spokesman, who recently branded issue of allowances as fake news, has refused to immediately comment on the revelations.

Botomani may come up with a spin on the matter later.

Cabinet members earn large sums of money beyond their salaries through allowances and other benefits.

And the Covid-19 is being turned into an allowances spinning exercise and have been taking trips to various districts nationwide to pocket allowances and cushion themselves from the salary cut.

Critics query government that instead of reaching out to the vulnerable people and cushion them against the negative impact that has come about because of COVID-19, the Special Cabinet Committee are taking advantage to enrich themselves.

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Gabor
Gabor
3 years ago

Azitafune basi akudziwana , ku Malawi kumafunika a tsogoleleli a chinsisi Ngati awa akudyera lomodzi . Funsani Joyce Banda ndiulula amene akuononga ndalama Za boma zinawagwetsa Gada wa cash gate.

nafundo zalo
nafundo zalo
3 years ago

koma yaaaa
cakadzuka cinsalu ca nkacisi.
botomani ka katakwe kena kake.
kakucita kunjanja koma yaaaa.
nde imalizeni mwakambilana bwanji mathelo ake akutinji. yooooooooooo
ma yob amunthalika ndi gilezeda.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

ANA ACHEPA
ANA ACHEPA
3 years ago

CHILIMA ANANENA KALETU IZI PALIBE CHACHILENDO.

Mtete
Mtete
3 years ago

Now we know why APM didn’t want the Covid 19 Committee to be inclusive but remain an all DPP affair. An inclusive committee would have ensured checks and balances. The appointment of a partisan Committee was to make sure no one challenged looting of taxpayers money. Our acting president fooled us into believing our cabinet ministers were patriotic as to foregone 10% of their salaries with the aim of using the savings as a contribution towards the Covid 19 scourge. That was not to be as they are now getting much more than they got before. Mind you there is… Read more »

Gabor
Gabor
3 years ago

Oops there’s no lockdown, would have saved the allowance money and the same time avoided getting infected out there . We need lockdown please .

Chiswa B
Chiswa B
3 years ago

What’s the fuss about? Ife am’boma we can forego salary for the 12 months, knowing pretty well we rely on allowances. Bvuto lanu ndi chani? Who told you to work in NGO’s and private firms? Tilekeni tudye vimenezi

Baby chilima phuma
3 years ago

Kodi anthu enanu mumagwira ntchito kuti kopanda ma allowance ko? Do you really expect a minister or an MP or an officer to work outside their district of office without getting allowances? Palibepo nkhani apa.

Even baby chilima knows kuti everyone is entitled to allowances when working outside the district of duty station.

Saduchie
Saduchie
3 years ago

Being a Minister duty station is whole country, they can only claim allowances if outside Malawi. This is stealing.

nafundo zalo
nafundo zalo
3 years ago

ine ndifuse kuti salary ya pamwezi ncito yake ndiina
kenako ma allowance recruitment yake nddiinaso????

Namulondola
3 years ago

There is nothing wrong to have an allowance when going out. These are things that are budgeted in any project you carry or do. Should the minister use his own salary to buy food when out in the field? Should he use his salary to fuel the car? Should the driver get allowance from the minister’s pocket. Sometimes I fail to understand with my fellow countrymen. Yet you are also doing the same getting allowances even to some field trip you have not gone. There is no evidence you can show to support what you do. Should the people going… Read more »

Amuna Kudambo
Amuna Kudambo
3 years ago
Reply to  Namulondola

Iwe ndiye mbuzi yeniyeni yodya udzu wokedzera mbuzi za kwa Nyezerera! How can you defend these evil, bloody, merciless thieves?

Kalvin kaliwamba
Kalvin kaliwamba
3 years ago

Ooh my God.Malawi mwa dzinalako uli pa malawi a moto.Zoonadi osauka adzingosaukirabe olemera adzingolemerabe.Ndiye choncho mudziti Lockdown pamtumbo panu ma Minister nonse ndipo ndinu afiti mulibe chisoni.Nawenso amene ukumalemba ma comments opusa kaya ukuti dzina lako(Ndikhetsa mwazi chakwera )nawenso pakholo pako wamva anthu akuvutikatu mamidzimu iwenso ndi cadet wa DPP .

Blood sucker chakwera
3 years ago

Iwe Kaliwamba Nzeru zakuthera kale zomwezi? Kikikik chicken headed

Jah
Jah
3 years ago

If indeed these guys are traveling outside lilongwe for supervision I see nothing wrong here.am in the civil service it works like that even donors themselves amapanga zimenezi

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