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APM’S salary goes up by 80%

  • Vice, ministers and MPs all get hefty rises

Government has raised the salary of President Peter Mutharika, his Vice Saulos Chilima and his 20 Cabinet ministers as well MPs by hefty percentages, Weekend Nation can reveal.

This is despite the President promising Malawians in August that he had no intention of reviewing his salary “anytime soon”.

The pay hikes are with effect from 1st October 2014.

His salary has increased  by 80%: Mutharika
His salary has increased by 80%: Mutharika

According to a document we have seen on the new monthly salary and allowances for elected personnel, the President’s salary has risen by about 80 percent from K1. 5 million (US$2 935) to K2.7 million (US$5 284) per month.

That of Chilima has also risen by the same percentage and is now at K1.8 million (US$3 523) per month from K1 million (US$1 957).

The adjustments have further shown that the Vice-President will start receiving fuel coupons amounting to 1 500 litres and up to K450 000 if he is privately accommodated.

Ministers and Leader of Opposition new pay is now pegged at K1 608 million from K600 000 per month, representing a rise of 168 percent.

They will also have fuel coupons of 1 000 litres per month and K350 000 as housing allowance.

Deputy minister’s salaries have been hiked to K800 000 from K428 000, representing 87 percent.

The deputy ministers will also receive fuel coupon of 1 000 litres and will be paid K250 000 if they are not living in a government house per month.

An MP’s salary is now pegged at K600 000 from K126 000, representing  376 percent.

They will also have fuel coupons of 1 000 litres per month and K350 000 as housing allowance.

Minister of Information Kondwani Nankhumwa yesterday confirmed the pay hikes, arguing they are in line with the 2014/2015 budget.

“When presenting the budget, government had projections, and this is exactly why the salaries have been hiked,” said Nankhumwa.

On whether this would encourage the striking support staff in the Judiciary, Nankhumwa said government is still in discussion with them on their demands.

Now earns K1.8 million: Chilima
Now earns K1.8 million: Chilima

“Yesterday until midnight officials from Ministry of Finance and the Judiciary were in discussions on the demands on the table, I am sure the matter will be resolved amicably.

“We are trying to harmonise the salaries of all civil servants,” he said.

Acting Clerk of Parliament Roosevelt Gondwe said the new salary structure for MPs was effected from October 1.

The pay hike comes after government has failed to resolve demands by the Judiciary support staff who have been on a strike for over three weeks, paralysing court cases, including those on Cashgate.

In August this year, the President rejected a proposal to have minister’s terms and condition of services revised from then acting chief secretary Willie Samute amid concern over a current budget deficit that could have become worse with an increased wage bill.

State House press secretary Fredrick Ndala said then that the President found no ethical reasons to support the ministers’ proposal, hence his rejection.

“His Excellency President Mutharika finds it to be unethical to raise ministers’ salaries when the cost of living is not only high for them but every Malawian. The President would rather focus on improving the standards of the civil servants than the ministers.

“Besides, we are passing through very difficult economic times as a country and as such his appeal to the ministers is to be good leaders and lead by example and forego the salary review which was being proposed. You might also wish to know that the last time the President’s salary was raised was on 1st July 2009 and President Mutharika has no intentions of raising his salary any time soon,” Ndala said.

Some citizens argued then the proposed pay hike was just a populist stunt on the part of the President to gain public support as it made him look as a caring president who would not sanction huge pay rise for himself and members of his Cabinet at a time the country had no enough money following aid cuts by donors as a result of the Cashgate.

Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) secretary general Pontius Kalichero in an interview on Thursday expressed worry with the development, saying it is unfair to all civil servants.

“When the family is going through financial hardships, it’s the parents, especially the father, who display exemplary lifestyle equal to the gospel of poverty in the house for the kids to take them seriously”, said Kalichero.

Centre For Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo said in a separate interview the salary increments by the President, Cabinet and Parliament are unjustifiable and hypocritical.

“Government is just being too insensitive with the current mess. The President and the Cabinet seem to be living in their own world different from the rest of us. At the same time we view the huge parliamentary increments as a mere political tool to appease members of Parliament, especially those in the opposition to shut up, and be sympathetic to the government in the midst of the current political and economic hardships rocking the country, especially the citizens. It is an attempt to silence their critical voice,” said Mtambo.

He called on the MPs and the opposition to rise up and reject such increments in the general interest of all Malawians and also to reflect the current context.

Scan 0052 by John Richard Kasalika

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2 Comments

  1. Me thinks this is just a political strategy where the president and team is tipped to reject the offer and thereby attract public praise as being considerate to the current circumstances.

    How on earth can someone with sound judgement propose such increments amidst public outcry for improved conditions of service across all sectors. Each passing day a government-subvented section, department, parastatal etc withdraws labour just to pressurise the same government to increase their renumeration and conditions of service. This news is disturbing to hear when such industrial concerns have not been resolved!

    I recall the days of the academic freedom stalement, and only wonders if history is going to repeat.

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