MCP says fuel hike is DPP plot to raise campaign money
The recent pump fuel price increases by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government are new system by the ruling party to raise campaign money for May 21 2019 Tripartite Election campaign, an opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator has said in Parliament.
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) has hiked fuel prices three times this year; in July, October and now November claiming the hike is due to increase in fuel prices on the international market when in actual sense fuel prices have down globally.
Ironically, while MERA was announcing the fuel price hike in the country, United States President Donald Trump tweeted announcing that oil prices have gone down globally.
In Parliament, legislators took to task Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe as they wondered why the price increase was coming at a time when globally oil prices are on the decline. The public also expressed similar sentiments on various social media platforms including comment posted on Nyasa Times.
Lilongwe Msozi South MP (MCP) Vitus Dzoole Mwale alleged that the fuel price increase was a plot by government to siphon money for campaign through fuel levies.
Government collects numerous levies from each litre of fuel bought on the market and some of this money is siphoned to finance DPP.
According to the latest price build-up of Mera, some of levies are Energy Regulatory Levy, which costs K10 per litre of Diesel, Petrol and Paraffin; Rural Electrification Levy charged at K37.11 for Petrol, K36.71 for Diesel and K29.19 for Paraffin; Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) at K22.61 for Petrol, K22.21 for Diesel and K21.30 for Paraffin; Fuel Storage Levy at K5 for all fuels; Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) Cess Levy at K0.89 for Petrol, K0.88 for Diesel and K0.84 for Paraffin and Road Fund Levy at K90.57 for Petrol and K89.73 Diesel.
This means that for every litre of fuel, K166.36 on Petrol, K164.53 on Diesel and K66.33 on Paraffin goes to government in form of Levies.
In the House, MCP’s Kasungu West MP Alex Major moved the motion on the matter and said the fuel price increase would run contrary to government claims that the economy was performing well, saying the already suffering ordinary people will be burdened further by the fuel hike, coming not long after another increase.
Another MCP legislator for Salima North West Dr Jessie Kabwila said: “In a country where there is so much poverty, we should know that we are increasing the gap between the poor and the rich.
“There are women in business who are toiling but when the price of fuel goes up, they will have less capital because of low buying power.”
Meanwhile, Gondwe and MERA chief executive office Collins Magalasi have said there is need to replenish the depleted Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) as one factor that has contributed to the price increase.
Magalasi said the downward trend in global oil prices would only be considered at the next petroleum pricing review meeting as Malawi employs “the in month-minus-one mechanism” which entails that developments in a previous month when the product was bought determine the prices.
According to Mera statement announcing the new prices, the Kwacha depreciated 0.57 percent between July and October which landed costs of diesel and paraffin increased 3.64 percent and 3.94 percent, respectively and petrol declined by 1.80 percent compared to the average in September.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
The satanic UTM cannot rule this nation…..get ready for ur members being arrested for killings…of Njaunju…Chasowa…July 2011
UTM and DPP are but one…running this failed government…We voted u skc to run government with APM but u chose to jump ship after kumanidwa u president….now ur supporters cannt even reason that u were yes bwana for 4 n half years..and now u think u can win………UTM will end 21st May….like ur dad APM…nonse mukuchoka basi….Mwatizunza nthawi yayitali………
Mcp are really idiots. During one party u under Mcp dictatorship and no elections ,does it mean that for all those 31 years under never had any price hike,? Then you say Mcp to be the next Government?
USA have full price every day either up or down depending on petrol company.
Mwagwa nsyo agalu inu. Mbuzi zokhazoka zopanda michila.
Muli xa MCP palibe chanzeru munganene, even argument yanu is baseless
What has MCP and UTM got to do with fuel hike? Problem rests squarely on DPP shoulders. In any case zitsiru is us Malawians who keep electing corrupt leaders, thieves and matchona into government.
By the way it’s not only fuel hikes that’s helping DPP campaigning. Electricity and water hikes are part of the scheme.
Malawi is the only country in the SADC region that has so many levies on fuel. Subsidizing the fuel will make the economy tick when transportation of goods and movement of people is affordable. When fuel is expensive , prices in all other sectors go up leading to stagnation of businesses, high cost of living , since not many can afford to meet the high cost of moving goods and people, At the end of the day, the ordinary people are the ones who suffer the most.
What do you expect from the aged State President, aged Minister of Finance? Siyilani anyamatatu izi a Gondwe, ngangapamupando waboma!
Let’s make it clear, petroleum is bought in futures, the ones that has gone down in price will be delivered in 6 months or over.
Tiyeni tidikire a dzoole atimasule kwasalaku
A UTM ndinu zitsiru heavy!Why blaming MCP for this mess DPP is making?I think in this house,the so called utm MPs are there and even speaker Msowoya pano alikwanu??Kulankhula kopusa amachende akuwawa!
Shut up your stinking mouth if you have nothing to say!
Come next year, mugwera limodzi,Chakwera is taking govt!
Hahahaha yelaaaa a MCP mukumva pain UTM yakuphumisani Boma 2019 basi. Nthawi yonseyi kumangoti MCP Boma koma opanda mfundo. Simunati, mutitukwanadi. Mukulephera kupanga ma primary elections ndiye Boma mungalithe? Tazingopangani za nyau basi.
The problem is not the dpp but the weakness of opposition in parliament, we have a dull mind opposition members, including its leader. This dpp government have spotted weakness in the current opposition members that’s why they are coming in with different tunes and tactics to steal tax payers money. We sent you there not stay phwiiiii, kuliza mikonono ngati a chule ali mu chisime. Useless opposition, just greedy, satanic, no wonder this dpp abuse our resources. If MCP was UTM this dullness couldn’t been happening. Thats why we are promoting the youth to be in power come may, 2019.
what is difference between dpp and utm mesa zawo nzimodzi we need real change not from team A to team B