PPM’s Katsonga tells Malawi govt to abolish subsidies
An opposition politician has joined choruses of economists and donors calling on the government to abolish all subsidies, saying they are a harmful to the economy.
Mark Katsonga, president of People’s Progressive Party (PPM) said Malawi is probably the only country in the region with subsidies.
“It is only in Malawi where a child is born in free hospital, attends free primary school and drives in free roads,” said Katsonga in a recent radio interview.
He said the government is spending billions of money in the subsidies thereby harming the already ailing economy.
Currently the country has a K60 billion a year farm input subsidies to which treasury bankrolls farm input for subsistence poor farmers and a K7 billion Cement and Malata subsidy for decent housing for poor people.
Katsonga urged the government to abolish the subsidy programmes and instead create policies that would enable Malawians have money that they would use to construct their own houses.
Government is struggling to fund public hospitals as most of them have completely stopped provision of food for patients whilst ambulances have been grounded due to lack of money for fuel or maintenance.
At a high level meeting this week, stakeholders in the public health sector, that included donors, recommended to government to raise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes to raise money for the collapsing public health sector.
There were also calls for the introduction of fuel levy for the public health sector.
Too much subsidy is detrimental for a country*s development. Those who are lazy they are the ones supporting this system. There is no way we can be depending on subsidy for ever, we have to wean ourselves from this. There has to be a way out for every subsidy. Our rotten system for public service delivery encourages corruption and nepotisim. Its high time we change our mindset not zaulere always
Subsidies encourages corruption and laziness. Create channels for farmers to sell products at good prices and let them look after themselves. If people are wealthy they are able to pay for services. I agree with Katsonga on this one
this means Malawi will have a few intellectuals and there will be dust poverty and foolishness that stinks. When Kamuzu introduced free hospital services he calculated how many Malawians can afford treatment, can not afford University fees, how on earth someone had his free education and then come from no where and says no subsidies because he wants to steal the money from the govt for his family, do you think this man thinks straight? we can’t afford foolish President in this country we need a clean man who will put all citizens first. God bless you all readers.
NG’OMBE ZAZIMUNA
KULEPHERA KUKOKA NGOLO !!!
CHIKHALA AMAYI
BWENZI ZINTHU ZILI
PATALI KWABASI !!
MUKUNGOTIPWETEKA NDI MISONKHO
APA !!
Even green atafika mk2,000 sindizasiya kumwa. Chakumwa chamafumu.
Kwa singanga timapeleka chipondamthengo ndi ndalama zina, koma ku Chipatala ndiulele.
Akulu awa anati zii pakatipa kodi alipo etc?
Akuulu, musadepo subsidy. Appa mwaonetsa kuti ndinu mmbuli. Kodi inu kuti mudzioneka ngati olemera si ndi subsidy yomweyo?????? Ndikunama kapena. Inu ma BUS anu a Business amalowa Mmalawi muno DUTY FREE, the duty foregone by government is a SUBSIDY TO YOU, Fotsekki. Tsono boma likapatsa anthu tima subsidy to 5,000kwacha kwa khwimbi la anthu ndi vutooo? IWEYO SUBSIDY YA BUSINESS YAKO IN A FORM OF DUTY WAIVER IS IN BILLIONS YET ITS ONLY YOU ONE PERSON????? Mbuli ndi Mbuli, boma yambani kuanyetsa nayo Duty anthuwa, akuzolowera saakudziwa kuti its a form of subsidy, nanji nanji ma economic comentators anthu ndeh… Read more »
Mukwezenso tax on beer for the sake of what? Ndingoleka ndiine kumwako,too many levies in Nyasaland.
It is high time Malawians stopped expecting freebies,the same FISP programme and malata subsidies where the Government invest billions of kwacha are prone to many abuses,for instance,most people sell coupons that entitle them to subsdised farm inputs and the money earned is used to drink kachasu, malata and cement are abused in the same name.The question is, can we expect these drunkards to farm and build better houses? as per govervent intention in implementing these programmes.Besides that,the government lose a fortune sum of billions in FISP programme to poor and un unreliable rainfall which comes in low or heavy or… Read more »