Opposition demand accountability on budget: Poverty worse now than ever before in Malawi

Opposition parties say they will ask the government to account for the national budget passed last year, saying poverty among Malawians is worse than ever before.

The major political parties said the government should give a convincing break down on how the money has been used.

Leader of opposition Lazarous Chakwera said they will demands  answers as to what happened to the money parliament approved last year for poverty to wear the ugly face.

He said MCP legislators will rap up Finance minister Goodall Godnwe on how the budget was used because of the worsening cost of living in Malawi.

“This country lack moral capital,” he noted on Capital Radio’s DayBreak Malawi program.

“We hardly adhere to principals. On paper we have wonderful plans and we make wonderful speeches [but in practise we do things differently],” he added.

People’s Party spokesperson Ken Msonda said: “If the money was used as parliament approved it, poverty levels would have lessened instead of worsening. Something is not adding up.”

However, ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Francis Kasaira said it would be awkward for the opposition to ignite debate on the past budget.

“This meeting of parliament is called budget meeting because we want to discuss the 2016/17 national budget. The honourable members should discuss the forthcoming budget which the Finance minister will present to parliament next week,” he said.

He said there are laid down procedures on how a budget can be monitored.

President Peter Mutharika is expected to deliver his state of the nation address on Friday before Finance minister Goodall Gondwe presents the national budget to the House next Friday.