PAC wants Malawi govt explain on Time Magazine multimillion payment
Malawi Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has said it wants answers from government why it undertook a multi-million public relations project with Time magazine when the majority of Malawians are living below poverty line in a feeble economy.
Deputy chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Kamlepo Kalua said government explanation of the payment of a whopping K280 million to the magazine for advertorials is not adding up.
“Something is fishy here. There is something with those officials involved. As PAC, we are not amused. We want the government to explain in parliament what happened with the money,” said the Rumphi east outspoken parliamentarian.
He said the ‘Mapwevupwevu’ culture is not acceptable under austerity measures.
Finance minister Goodall Gondwe explained that the government paid the money to the international magazine for advertorials, paid up news stories aimed at improving the image of Malawi.
The image of Malawi was battered following the infamous cashgate, the plunder of public money at Capital Hill, the seat of government in Lilongwe by powerful politicians, businessmen and civil servants fleecing the public purse billions since 2005.
It is expected that the advertorials would attract more foreign investors in the country.
However, opposition and other critics questioned the government wisdom to undertake such an ambitious project when Malawians cannot afford basic things in life including food.
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how can you market malawi or convincing investors while we dont have electricity. Malawian leaders Aaaaaa! shame. this is cashgate, anthuwa ndi mbatata / mbava. Malawi laeders they only know how to steal poor people tax( kukama yoonda ndiye kumeneku) than governing. Malawi is a rich country but leaders are very poor in mind/ vision/ development. vuto lake kukulira kumpanda sizero. thanks wishing all best.
Who would invest in Malawi? We’re still waiting for an outcome from the New York vist by the President!
MLOMWEYU NDI WOPAND NZERU KWABASI , M’MENE ANTHU AKUVUTIKILA NDI NJALA KUMAONONGA NDALAMA CHONCI, KODI TITANI NAYE MUNTHU AMENEYU. AGONDWENSO POPELEKA NDALAMAZO SIMUKAMBIRANA KAPENI NANUNSO MUKUFUNA KUTI ANTHU AZIFA NDI NJALA?
Tiye nawo Kamlepo, you have the backing of all well meaning Malawians! The time for a government to act with impunity with our taxpayers money is all gone! Sitingalore kuti millions of Kwacha to be abused just like that!
280 Million in a country where people are dying of hunger and nobody says nothing. Children learning under the tree. No food in Hospitals. We surrender it to God.
It is very obvious that this government and Muthalika have lost their bearings. It is a well known fact that our president is a dudle-head , clueless and very incompetent. No amount of cash will rescue him from his incompetence. You can not buy respect and admiration. You go to work and allow results be your proof that you deserve accorades and praise. Malawi is a failed state. Time magazine can not rescue our falling Kwacha. Time magazine can not create jobs for our youth. Time magazine can not feed the hungry. These facts will remain unchanged no matter how… Read more »
hello nyasa times admin. how are you? my humble request is for you to post these mysterious time magazine advertorials. i’ve googled and googled and googled some more but i still can’t find them. they’re proving to be harder to find than ujenis children.
kapena sizinalembedwe? timakudalilani tithandizeni. komanso ndipemphe chinthu china. mukatiwonetsa za time magazine mungatifufuzilenso za ma tractor aja? ndimafuna kupangako hire imodzi. mulinkane ndi big man kamlepo. akuoneka kuti ali ndi network yovuta
280 Million Kwacha is a lot of tax payers money. If you say Government made a decision – who is the Government? Who approved the payment? Since when have we started making payments outside the budget? Do you advocate the same to other entities of the Government to clean their image through buying media?
Very shameful indeed. Hon Kamlepo, please ensure that this money is refunded. Those who were involved should answer charges the same as the cashgatters are facing including Times magazine.
There is nothing good in Malawi govt. The whole crew in this wreckage is just rubbish. A very rich country taming rats mice cockroaches bed bites etc which are milking Malawi. Now the country is just a skeleton for all riches are in holes of rats.
Actually what is needed is not just an explanation but a refund and arrests of these cashgaters. I think we have to swallow our pride and accept that as Malawians we failed big time for putting these thieves into power. Peter is just empty and dull. Do you market a country through cooked stories? What if the investors come and find the situation not as was advertised? What you should have done was to stop electricity black outs and reduce crime rates. Mbatama zokhazokha inu.