‘Useless govt’ MP Mzomera Ngwira blasts DPP: MPs demand ‘genuine’ audit report

Mzimba Hora MP Reverend Christopher Mzomera Ngwira (People’s Party) on Wednesday in parliament blasted the Peter Mutharika administration as “useless government” as members of Parliament (MPs) demanded what they called a “genuine” report into the mismanagement of funds in government before the 2015/16 national budget is approved.

Mzomera Ngwira also rose on a point of order to demand that the Committee of Supply—which scrutinises and passes budget allocations vote by vote—be suspended to pave the way for debate on the report.

Calling the government side “mbava” [thieves] Ngwira retorted: “You want us to approve the budget here so that you can continue stealing. We cannot allow that. We do not want that. Completely nonsense! Useless government!”

The Speaker ruled him out of order for standing before he was recognised.

Rumphi East MP Kamlepo Kalua (People’s Party-PP), who is also vice-chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, rejected the report which Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe deposited with Parliament, claiming it was not the correct version.

Gondwe presented a data analysis report titled ‘Final Analysis Report: Reconstruction of the Malawi Government Cashbook for Purposes of Further Investigation’ which indicates that K577 billion cannot be accounted for in the government’s bank statements between 2009 and 2014.

Kalua, who is also vice-chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, insisted that the report presented was “irregular” and demanded a genuine audit report with details of perpetrators which he claimed government was hiding.

“So we need the genuine report but not this one and that is misleading the country. The Minister indeed has given us the copy to this House when the actual, forensic one, is not yet in here,” said Kalua.

“We demand that one to come into this House so that we can debate on this or can be referred to the Public Accounts Committee. Maybe the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee is aware that may be he was given the actual copy but not this one. So, I wanted to find out if the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee has the original copy of forensic auditing,” said Kalua.

Finance Minister Gondwe did not respond to Kalua’s demand as the House had gone past adjournment.

Parliament’s PAC is expected to discuss the report during meetings which start after Parliament rises on July 3.