Msaka justifies Malawi housing subsidy: K7bn to benefit 15,000 people

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Planning, Bright Msaka,  has defended the K7 billion budget allocation to the subsidized cement and iron sheets  programme  by the  ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), saying over 15,000 low income families would benefit from the Decent and Affordable Housing Subsidy Program (DHASP) which is scheduled to start as a pilot this year.

Msaka said in a ministerial statement in parliament on Monday that the program will see government subsidising cement and iron sheets to low income Malawians such as those who live in thatched houses and mud floors as well as people with disabilities and orphans.

The Minister said  the K7 billion will “translate in 80 low cost houses per constituency and 15,440 beneficiaries across the country in this pilot year.” Malawi has 193 constituencies.

 Msaka: Malata and cement  subsidy for the poor
Msaka: Malata and cement subsidy for the poor

He said the program at local level would be implemented through a special vehicle known as Housing Development Group (HDG) which would be established at each area of the Group village headman.

“To ensure that the HDG’s are insulated from political parties and other forms of manipulation, their formation will be facilitated by Community Development Assistants,” he said.

The Minister added that the program in consultation with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare will also identify and provide a house, kitchen, toilet and bathing room to 965 to the elderly and feeble, female or child headed households and people with severe disabilities.

During debate on the subject last week, leader of opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera said that government should have instead provided private sector incentives for production of cement and iron sheets.

In the house, the matter has received criticism including  Mangochi-Monkebay parliamentarian Ralph Jooma of PP  who argued that  said government should consider subsidizing other national services such as health, education and water.

Lilongwe East MP Ezekiel Ching’oma said the impact of the subsidy would be negligible considering that only 100 people would be targeted in each of the 193 constituencies.

He said when DPP was campaigning; they never said the subsidy would be targeted, but changed tune after winning the vote.

Said Ching’oma: “It means that for each constituency, there will be 500 beneficiaries by the end of the five years. It has to be noted that 80 percent of Malawians live in poor housing, in this way the impact of this programme, after five years, will surely be close to negligible.”

Rumphi West MP Jacqueline Kouwenhoven said the new subsidy would just create a new dependency on the part of Malawians.

She said: “When we start building houses for people, next they will look to government for other areas. That K7 billion could have gone into health care or education and people would be better helped through this.”

Dowa East MP Richard Banda said the new subsidy “should have been pended until our economy was manageable.”

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Chembezi
Chembezi
9 years ago

This is total madness.A cool K7 bn only 15,000 people annually times 5 years!! Oh my God why not invest in productive area?

Mtesi chomene
9 years ago

Hahahahahaha mwayamba kutsutsana ndi a President?

Peter wangothalika anati 100 koma anduna mukuti 80 pa constituency ndiye pamenepa timve ndani?

Kodi malatawo mudzapereka aulele?
Tikudabwa pomwe mukuti ozagula ndi ana amasiye ndi olumala ndiye ndalama azazitenga kuti?

Boma laboza chomene ili nganya we.

mona
9 years ago

This is just another form if cashgate muwona the whole contract ya 7 billion will be given to Mulli a Malawi sitidzamva

ﻋﻤﺮﺍﻥ. Imraan Sadick.

He is trying to fulfill one of his Campaign promises I don’t see anything wrong with that,all we can do is to wait who knows may be the initiative may materialize
don’t just bark for the sake of barking,this project is far much better than Mudzi Trust
Mmalawi sadzatheka basi!

chekambewa
9 years ago

Kodi inunso munavota osati munavotera yakuphwa ija ndiye muzitinamiza apa kagwere iku

Boko
Boko
9 years ago

Hahahaha, kikkiiii aMsaka who doesn’t know you. What a thief and corrupt person. Just tell us that this subsidy is for you, hule uja Kaliati, alomwe onse ndi Pitala Matanyula. Becoz you can never, I NEVER buy or build anyone a house except the Thyolo people. So just share the money among the lomwe’s and keep quiet. Don’t waste our time vomitting things tht you can’t do. Who doesn’t know you Msaka and the Mutharika’s. Fotseki. Pitani mukakwerane ndi Matanyula wanuyo. Rubbish.

binali gama
binali gama
9 years ago

Its the only way to thank those that voted Mutharika into presidency, REMEMBER!

Mulangizi
Mulangizi
9 years ago

Malawians live in poor houses we agree. The Minister has done his job and people in authority can tick the box, but are we doing the right thing at the right time? Lets put politics aside, I know you promised people the moon but you cannot even give them an egg. Please learn to accept advice, this subsidy is not the appropriate thing this time around. Look at the economy is getting back on its knees. Not so long away from now, forex and fuel will be getting scarce! Can we be focusing on how we can enhance productive sectors… Read more »

Community developer
Community developer
9 years ago

1) The target for this subsidy are the very poor. Not all 15 million people in Malawi are very poor. Adjust the donomenator for your calculations and came again, 2) This program is part of package of programes to develop the country, others include rural electrification, water and sanitation project, education for girls etc, so dont treat this program in isolation, it will work in tandem others to synergistically DEVELOP rural community over the five years. Can not believe lots of MPS and nyasa readers would thick Joelmoses galu wa PP has writted a sensible thing. Agalu a PP inu… Read more »

Danny
Danny
9 years ago

BOLASO MUDZI TRANSFORMATION TRUST YA JB

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