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| Hon. Chimwendo |
Honorable Member for Dowa East
Richard Chimwendo Banda is on Wednesday afternoon expected to bring evidence
that cabinet ministers took K5 million loan from Office of President and
Cabinet (OPC).
His disclosure came in the House
when legislatures are demanding Government to approve their delaying General
Purpose Fund (GPF) loans of K5 million each which they are supposed to repay
between now and 2019. However, Government maintains that with economic
challenges the country is going through, it will not be possible to approve the
MPs loans.
Leader of House, George Chaponda
caused hon. Chimwendo to spill the beans when Chaponda accused the opposition members
being selfish for their insistence to discuss the future of their condition of
service and not to deliberate on the budget.
Honorable Chimwendo Banda then told
the House on Tuesday afternoon that he has evidence that all cabinet ministers
got K5 million loan from OPC which includes K1 million for hotel accommodation,
K1 million for furniture and another for duty free cars. He added that
ministers also draw K45 thousand a day when attending Presidential function.
He therefore expressed concern that
Chaponda remarks were unfair to the opposition members and had intent to create
bad picture to the public that one side of the house is interested in petty
issues rather than focus on national concerns.
Deputy Speaker of National
Assembly, Esther Mcheka Chilenje invoked Standing Order 102 requiring the
legislator to provide evidence after Minister of Labor, Youth and Man Power who
is also Government Chief Whip, Henry Mussa, requested the Deputy Speaker to
order the member to bring evidence.
However, several cabinet
ministers stood to protest against Hon Chimwendo's alleged evidence and denied
to have obtained such a loan from the OPC.
Other Cabinet Ministers including
Home Affairs minister, Jappie Mhango and Health Minister, Peter Kumpalume
threatened Chimwendo to provide “only evidence that proves that all” cabinet
ministers took the alleged loan.
As the house was in uproar state
legislator for Nkhatabay Central, Raphael Mhone rising on Point of Order
brought in suggestion that OPC ought to bring the information of details of
ministers who took loans since that is a public document and not to ask member
for Dowa East to bring that matter in the House. This suggestion was seconded
by the Kasunu East legislator, Elias Wakuda Kamanga but Deputy Speaker, Esther
Chilenje never ruled on this since there was no order in the House which forced
her to suspend the proceedings to allow members to sober up.
Since Monday, members from
opposition side have been requesting the Minister of Finance to express himself
on reasons why the legislators are not up to this day receiving their General
Purpose Fund loan which includes K1 million for emergency and K3 million
general purpose advance loan.
The legislators are mainly
concerned that since their five year term is closer to an end obtaining such
loan later and with 40 percent current rates banks are charging they will be
heavily taxed.
On Tuesday, the House was
suspended twice following disagreement over the same issue and Minister of
Finance Goodall Gondwe has been discussing with the Welfare Committee on the
matter.
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