MCP tells DPP: ‘Time for duplication of projects in order to steal is over’
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has cautioned the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that they will not be allowed to duplicate projects in order to “cashgate”.
Speaking on behalf of MCP, Mzimba Solola MP Jacob Hara, the opposition will be resolute to provide checks and balances to avoid DPP get away with ‘cashgate’.
He was contributing to a Loan Authorisation Bill seeking authorisation to borrow about K9.8 billion from European Investment Bank (EIB) meant to finance the upgrading of essential aviation safety and security equipment at Kamuzu and Chileka international airports.
Parliament e rejected the bill, saying it lacked sufficient information.
Hara said DPP government should explain why is it that after Japanese International Cooperating Agency (Jica) gave Kamuzu International Airport a solar field that generates power into the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) grid, the airport is still being charged K8 million every month when it only consumes half the power it generates and supplies the excess to Escom.
“Then there is completion of taxiway lighting, MCP would like to inform this government that there is no such a thing as completion of taxiway lighting at KIA. This project was completed three or four years ago under this same DPP [Democratic Progressive Party] government and was funded by Badea and Cofid, time for duplication of projects in order to steal is over,” said Hara.
Hara also told the House that the aeronautical fixed telecommunication network which government wants to buy is a piece of ageing technology which has been around since 1930.
“It is based on telex protocols which are limited with regards to messaging functionality and types of information. Our colleagues are replacing these with the new kid on the block,” said Hara.
MCP lawmaker said it was surprising that most of the equipment which government said it would purchase were obsolete, citing VDF (Direction Finder) as equipment which is not required in modern airports.
“This piece of equipment locates the position of an aircraft using Very High frequencies. International civil aviation is now migrating from ground-based equipment to satellite based equipment…DPP please wake up from your colour dreams. We are now in the e-world,” Hara said.
In his contribution, Chitipa South MP Werani Chilenga (People’s Party-PP) observed that airports such as Mzuzu need further upgrades.
“Other airports are not being taken care of. I’m talking of Mtakataka Police Airwing, Zomba and Old Airport. Lack of equipment there has put our men in uniform at risk,” Chilenga said.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe, who had earlier pleaded with MPs to pass the Bill, was forced to send the Bill to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament for further scrutiny.
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Hehehehe dpp munyera chaka chino. Inde afinyeni tioneko mano a president eyetu
Adada Hara yowoyani chichewa wanthu wapulikiske mu nyumba ya malango. Iwe Mussa wapulika ivyo wayowoya mwana Hara?
Thank goodness this DPP government doesn’t have a comfortable majority in this parliament, or it may well have turned out to be even more disastrous than the last DPP Bingu-led government. As it may yet be – watch out! Keep putting their feet to the fire. Good work by the opposition here. Although of course it would be naive to hope that an MCP-led government would be any better, hopefully it would just not be too much worse. All politicians in this country are cut from the same cloth – they just jump parties as if they are jumping into… Read more »
This is nothing new of course. These airport projects are small potatoes, comparatively. Tens and hundred’s of millions of US dollars are stolen regularly through road ‘projects’, water infrastructure, rural development and the like. In the end nothing concrete actually materialises out of these ‘projects’, or else it is all sub-standard rubbish – poorly done roads, barely functioning water systems – and in this case obsolete airport equipment. It’s little wonder the donors have no faith in this country, or rather its politicians, who even after the ridiculous saga of ‘cashgate’ , continue to borrow and steal their voters’ and… Read more »
Its very good to have MPs who know what they are talking about! Look this Hara guy has saved us from thieves!!! 2019 anthu nonse mu ma midzi umo, votelani MP wophunzira wodziwa chomwe akuchita osati ongogawa ma bokosi!!!
Nice work by MPs
This is why we need young people now. During the MCP time we were told that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow but up to now the youth are not given the mantle. This is why someone is thinking of telex in this generation. We will not wonder if they will buy type writers instead of tablets. But anyway just consult technocrats who will give you latest technologies. Be careful with other advisers they can tell you to buy old equipment when in fact they will just scavenge from other countries.
Big up MCP and big up brother Jacob Hara. I have known you since our time at Poly as a man of high integrity. Take these theives to task. They have run out of thefy tricks and want to duplicate projects with the aim of milking money from an alreay thin cow. I want to encourage you and the entire team of good minded opposition leaders to stand to your feet to save us from these hungry lion with insatiable appetite for money.
Well done Hara,keep it up
Well done Jacob. Keep it up!
Its indeed high time our mps show seriousness on checks and balances