Ministers Botomani, Mhango resist calls to resign: Meeting with HRDC shifted to Tuesday

Two Cabinet ministers Jappie Mhango and Mark Botomani are resisting calls to resign despite a growing backlash against their attempts to cover up the pocketing of Covid-19 allowances by the ministers.

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) had demanded that the two Cabinet ministers abdicate from their offices following the revelations that they lied when they claimed ministers were not drawing allowances on Covid-19 tours.

But the ministers invited the HRDC for a roundtable talks on Monday which has since been shifted to Tuesday at 10 am.

After lying to the nation that they, ministers, were not pocketing fat allowances for conducting coronavirus activities,  their lie was categorically unmasked by the media last week through a video of Mhango and Botomani whispering, conniving to cheat the people of Malawi that they are actually not getting rich out of the pandemic.

“Let’s just call it fuel allocation,” suggested Bottoman no realising he was on record.

“It’s always classified as such,” countered Mhango.

Botomani further told Mhango: “No, they have clearly labelled these as allowances…so the suggestion ought to be…”

But despite the two ministers’ body language depicting  them like two thieves conniving to share a bounty, they have refused to resign.

Botomani said their meeting with HRDC will help shed light on the allowances .

HRDC national coordinator Luke Tembo confirmed that the meeting has been moved to Tuesday because minister Mhango has other pressing engagements hence the postponement.

Meanwhile, Tembo says HRDC is negotiating with the ministers on a neutral venue and not Capital Hill.

Government opened a special account where well-wishers are depositing money to assist in the pandemic.