Malawi MPs demand debate on K577 bn cashgate report

Opposition legislators on Wednesday pressurised Speaker Richard Msowoya to allow the House debate a K577 billion cashgate report after Finance minister Goodall Gondwe presented the government report.

Gondwe presented a comprehensive report to parliament which contained, among others, replies to cashgate queries from the House.

After presenting the report, Speaker Msowoya told the House that according to standing orders, rules that govern the House, the legislators were only mandated to ask questions to Gondwe and no debate was entertained.

However the parliamentarians asked the speaker to waive the standing orders so that they could debate on the report which they said was of national importance.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokeswoman and lawmaker Jessie Kabwila accused cabinet ministers of deliberately running away from debate on crucial issues that affect Malawians.

Leader of People’s Party in the House Uladi Mussa said the debate on the K577billion report would have enabled Malawians to know exactly what is happening on the issue.

However, Leader of the House Francis Kasaila said the K577 billion report is not yet out, saying the government would present it to the House as soon as it is out.

Speaker Msowoya curtailed the debate and business went on smoothly after what seemed to be a chaotic start.

Cashgate is the systematic looting of billions of kwacha in public funds through collaboration between businesses and government officials.

Currently, some government officials and businessperson are in prison and others are answering various charges relating to the looting of public funds.