Opposition tells Chakwera to prioritize houses for teachers, health workers not MPs

United Democratic Front (UDF) leader in parliament Ned Poya has advised the nine-party Tonse Alliance administration led by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to prioritize construction of houses for teachers, health workers and security agents rather than moving to construct MPs houses.

State House press office  disclosed that the money that will be used to build the houses will come from “special investors” not the national budget.

In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) of the Nation (SONA) address last Friday, Chakwera announced government will construct houses for MPs in all 193 constituencies.

Phoya said the government should consider health workers and teachers to have decent accommodations and also faulted Chakwera for failing to tackle the issue of environment and climate change in his Sona.

MPs were  continuing to respond to Chakwera’s Sona.

In her contribution, Mwanza West MP Joyce Chitsulo called on President Chakwera to prioritize improvement of health services in the country other than construction of MPs houses.

She said her constituency needs health centers and not MPs houses at the moment.

Chituslo, a member of Democratic Porgressive Party (DPP) and chairperson of the budget and finance committee of parliament, said despite that the housing project will help government save on expenditure in the long run, there is need to value things that will impact on lives of people now.

She has also called on government to implement the promise of K14 000 cost for passports saying people are eager to get passports at lower cost.

However, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MP for Ntchisi South Ulemu Chilapondwa has condemned those that are objecting the MPs housing project calling them hypocrites.

He said the MPs are drawing allowances for accommodation which costs government a lot.

Chilapondwa said  those objecting the housing project should stop getting the accommodation allowances if they are serious about prioritizing the welfare of people in constituencies.

He said the country needs the houses as they are permanent structures and will serve MPs for a long period of time and in turn help government save on accommodation allowances for MPs.

Rumphi West Independent MP Yona Mkandawire says government is spending about K2.3 billion a year in accommodation for MPs hence the need for construction of houses for the MPs.

The new administration was ushered in following its triumph in the court-ordered June 23 Fresh Presidential Election.