Mutharika begs for aid, assures Malawi Kwacha to stabilise
President Peter Mutharika has again pleaded for donor-aid countries to come to the country’s rescue as it passes through economic “tough” times.
Mutharika made the call on Tuesday during an interface meeting with journalists which he hosted at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
Mutharika admitted that the country was passing through a critical phase and called for donor support as his government is working hard to fix the ailing economy through the adopted zero-aid budget.
The looting of public resources at Capital Hill, dubbed cashgate, forced development partners to withhold their budgetary support to Malawi. Donors provide 40 percent of Malawi’s budget.
An audit last year found that about K20 billion ($60m) had been skimmed from government funds.
Several government departments are running at barely a quarter of their monthly budgets and Police on Wednesday fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of school pupils protesting at the government’s delay in paying their teachers’ salaries.
About 6,500 teachers in public schools have not been paid since May, and around 1,000 are boycotting classes.
Mutharika said his administration has made a lot of progress to address concerns that led to the suspension of aid.
“They gave us some conditions to implement, and my government is undertaking some reforms to restore order,” Mutharika said.
He added: “But at this moment when we are going through a critical moment, we need all of us to work together. I should also appeal to donors to support us.”
But donors want Malawi government to provide objective evidence that the Public Finance Management (PFM) System, through which public officers stole K20 billion of taxpayers’ money, has been strengthened to avoid cash leak.
Donors urged Malawi to carry out public finance management reforms, pursue cashgate suspects, and guarantee the independence of the criminal justice system and to change leadership of some oversight and accountability institutions and provide more resources to them.
During the meeting with journalists, Mutharika also assured Malawians that the local currency, the Kwacha, currently facing depreciation against major foreign currencies, will soon be stabilised.
He disclosed that he will from next week announce a number of economic pointers government will undertake to unlock various challenges being experienced in the country including stabilization of the currency.
“We are working hard to fix things. Some of the things we are doing might be invinsible but we are working day and night. And soon Kwacha will stabilize and things will improve,” said Mutharika.
One of the pointers DPP-led government is expected to announce is a basic income for the poor as one way of eliminating poverty.
Government is also expected to start the much-touted cement and iron-sheet subsidy program.—(Additional reporting by Green Muheya, Nyasa Times)
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Peter if you want donor budget support to start flowing tomorrow, it can be done. But donors want you to do The following: 1. Clean some corrupt and money launderers in your cabinet which donors know very well. 2. Stop the govt from Interfering with cashgate cases and thieves. All must be hunted, caught and prosecuted quickly to the end. Donors know that your attorney general is a big stumbling block. 3. Stop associating yourself with some dubious characters such Bm who is supposed to be facing charges on the stolen 1.7bn but you are doing nothing to recover that… Read more »
Lots of contradictions in the story. You claim to adopt a Zero aid budget yet you are begging donors for more aid. You are begging for aid, saying you are at a critical period yet you want to sibsidise consumption of iron sheets and cement (iron sheets will probably have to be imported ). Pali nzeru apa? And you have an economic adviser (with a fake PhD) paid for by tax payers
POFIKA PULOFESA KUPEPHA PALIMBA NDITHU
It is not difficult to get the donors back. Let us be serious for a change. Let us quickly prosecute the cashgaters for both 20 billion and the 92 billion kwacha recover some of the money by salling the assets of the cashgaters to immediately beef up our budget to enable us to timely pay our teachers and to increase the salaries of our judicial officers who are currently on strike.
Kodi kholo mnyumba mukakhala njala, mesa limakumbuka kaye ana kuti asakhale akuyendayenda mmkomo mwa eni ake. Bwanji maziphuzitsi amakhala anthu omalizira kukumbukilidwa ngati sagwira ntchito yotamandika. Zoti mukupepha tava koma mukuyiwala kuthetsa zomwe zinapangitsa kuti ma donors atithawe. Musamakhale ngati mwadzidzimuka patulo pochita zithu. subsidy ya cement ndi malata ndalama zake muzitenga kuti ngati mukuti mulibe ndalama and 1000 or above teachers sakulandira ndalama. inu atakuduphitsani salary miyezi 4 mukhoza kuva bwanji.
Whilst standing with the begging bowl did he fell again to mention the luxury vehicles that the mayors are buying? What about the new Mercedes for himself. Funny we have had 2 professors as presidents and they can’t fix the economy. Just failing as usual.
Mr president, mukunenazi ndizanzeru ngakhale ena akufuna kuti akhale ngati ndimadolo ali makape.
When DPP led government says it has made progress in dealing with cash gate culprits let alone putting the 92billion report under carpet, are we really saying the truth to ourselves or kidding Malawians? My feeling iz that even those involved in the 92billion scam should face the law I guess even donors will be interested to see that. Mbava za ndalama, mavoti choncho dziko lingayende,???¿
Good talk mr president i hope it will work,nsanje amalawi siyitipindulira.
Lido karim batatawala has stolen mk15 billion so far PAC check