Chimwendo Banda Ready To Prove Cabinet Ministers Got K5 Million OPC Loans

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.

Govt Ministries, Departments Be Creative As Resources Continue To Dwindle

Hon. Wakuda Kaanga: Lets be creative

As Malawi continue to face economic challenges, difficult to adequately finance most Government Ministries and Departments, Kasungu North East legislator, Elias Wakuda Kamanga says Government institutions must be creative and efficient in using the limited resources to achieve high quality results.

The People’s Party legislator, hon Wakuda Kamanga was reacting to underfunding concerns being expressed by various Government Ministries and Departments pertaining to the allocations in the 2016/2017 national budget.

“You know, at a time like this when every country in the world, Malawi not being exception, where economies are not performing very well it is very dependent upon institutions across the board to begin restructuring their activities” Said Wakuda Kamanga

Hon Kamanga argued that “it doesn’t make any sense” in the face of dwindling resources to see institutions expanding in terms of activities but stressed for “serious radical transformation” that may translate how institutions work. 

Wakuda maintained that Malawi is endowed with resources but only that people are not working out ways to expand resources they have.

“I don’t agree with anybody that says Malawi has no resources this country has financial and human resources but we are mismanaging resources. We are not prioritizing very well about what is it that we should be doing. If Government can look inside itself they will definitely see that the resources are there but we need to take certain actions that can protect those resources and re-direct them to activities that would make sense to the growth of this economy.” he added