‘Detach politics from Malawi Govt’

Civil society organisations (CSOs) and a political analyst in Malawi have asked government to stop politicising award of contracts if the country is to progress.

The stakeholders have since called on Malawians to fight against the practice, arguing it is discriminatory and a threat to democracy.

The criticism comes in the wake of Minister of Information and Civic Education Patricia Kaliati’s reported call on Saturday at Limbuli in Mulanje that government contracts should be awarded to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) loyalists only so that they can reap fruits of their votes.

During the Mulanje meeting, DPP members reportedly complained they are not accessing government contracts despite being in the ruling party.

But in an interview on Monday, Kaliati clarified that she said DPP members should also be considered to balance beneficiaries of government contracts, arguing that DPP members also deserve the contracts.

Said Kaliati: “If you were at a rally and people complained of discrimination, what would you have answered? If brothers and sisters are complaining to a sister, I had also to take the concerns to the people who are doing that and ask them why they are segregating…

“It is not on for the officials to be giving contracts to people who castigate government while those who are loyal are not given [the same].”

But Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Undule Mwakasungula and Chancellor College political science associate professor Blessings Chinsinga said it is unacceptable to award contracts based on political affiliation when money for the jobs is generated through taxes paid by all Malawians.

The two argued the alignment of DPP and government is the reason the country is not developing as witnessed through a crumbling economy and poor governance.

Mwakasungula also wondered what President Bingu wa Mutharika meant when he said Malawians have to share resources like a national cake when the same government is glorifying discrimination.

Said Mwakasungula: “You cannot build a nation by isolating others. DPP members are contradicting themselves. Today they are talking about national unity, ‘let us build the nation together’, tomorrow they are saying ‘we are not going to award contracts to those who are not supporting DPP’.”

Chinsinga said it was out of order for Kaliati to make such a call in a democratic society and asked her to retract her statement.