What is so special with Thyolo? MP Kamlepo queries K1.5bn allocation

Outspoken legislator for People’s Party (PP) Kamlepo Kalua wondered what is so special with Thyolo district – the home of President Peter Mutharika – after government allocated K1.5 billion in the Social Cash Transfer programme.

Kalua made the query in Parliament on Tuesday after the Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Dr. Jean Kalirani made a ministerial statement on the current situation of the said programme.

Kalirani said about K1.5 billion was allocated to Thyolo to benefit 17 000 households in the 2017/18 fiscal year.

But Kalua wondered why other districts have not received the astronomical figure but Thyolo is getting good packgage.

“Why is that government is coming up with money amounting to K1.5billion for Thyolo only,” asked Kalua in Parliament.

He added: “What is so special with Thyolo that other districts don’t have?”

Government has been implementing Social Cash Transfer only in selected districts where vulnerable members of the communities do community work for cash to improve their livelihood and reduce poverty.

The  program which started in 2006 in Mchinji targets 10 percent of ultra poor and labour-constrained  households, paying an average K7 000 monthly transfers per household.

In her statement in the House, Kalirani said the programme struggles to cover operational costs for all 28 districts and needs an additional funding of K280 million.

She said with the provision of K1.5 billion under the 2017/18 fiscal year, government will manage to pay all 17 000 households in Thyolo “for up to 10 months of the fiscal year,”

Kalirani said government is not favouring Thyolo because the President comes there but the program depends on the population of the district.