Mutharika gets 80% pay rise: Malawi ministers, MPs salary increased

Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika has received an 80 per cent salary increase and will now earn K2.7 million ( ($5,284) per month from K1.5 million (($2,935).

The President’s salary has been unchanged since 2009 when Mutharika’s brother Bingu wa Mutharika was in power. He died in office in 2012 following a sudden heart attack.

His predecessor Joyce Banda however took pay cut.

Government spokesman Kondwani Nankhumwa has confirmed that the President’s pay has been increased despite Mutharika saying in August that he would not raise his salary “anytime soon”. And that there is also new salary for vice president, ministers.

Nnakhumwa said that the pay raise, which goes into effect as of October 1, is in line with the 2014/2015 budget.

“When presenting the budget, government had projections, and this is exactly why the salaries have been hiked,” Nankhumwa, who is also Information Minister, said.

The salary of the Vice-President has also risen by the same percentage and is now at 1.8 million kwacha ($3,523) per month from 1 million kwacha ($1,957).

Besides roughly $1 500 in pay, ministers receive benefits such as $2 000 in monthly fuel subsidies. In contrast, Malawi’s 170 000 public servants earn $100 a month on average.

MPs’ salaries have also been increased to cover the higher cost of living.

Acting Clerk of Parliament Roosevelt Gondwe confirmed  the new salary structure for MPs was indeed affected from October 1.

Malawi is weathering an economic storm after donors, which contribute 40% to the state budget, last year withdrew aid over a massive government corruption ‘cashgate’ scandal.

The  country has also been faced  with labour dispute  from several institutions with staff at  Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) who have given the government a seven-day ultimatum to review their working conditions or risk an indefinite strike like the current Judiciary strike which has shut down the courts in the country while parliament staff have threatened to down tools as well.

University of Malawi  support staff  comprising  Chancellor College, the Polytechnic and College of Medicine  are withdrawing their labour  aimed at forcing government to give them 45 percent salary increase.