Sunday, March 7, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Front Page

Cabinet Ministers face the nation amid pressure

by Joseph Mwale
20/10/2015
in Front Page, National News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Buckling under pressure to respond to growing concerns of the weakening economy, senior Cabinet Ministers this morning  went out of their way to explain the current hardships Malawians are going through.

But veteran human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula has told government that press conferences will not solve the country’s socio-economic challenges, saying they require divine intervention.

RelatedHeadlines

Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

Police, DPP, ‘ignore’ court order

Mwakasungula also says Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) want a platform for constructive engagement in where everyone is involved, not just a few.

 

Ministers at the Press Conference, picture by Rebecca Chimjeka
Ministers at the Press Conference, picture by Rebecca Chimjeka

He was speaking during a briefing government organised at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe to respond to concerns some CSOs raised last week on assumed leadership challenges.

The briefing was supposed to be a government-CSO engagement, but most vocal activists stayed away.

Ironically, CSOs that issued the statement like Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre for the Development of People (Cedep), Human Rights Defenders Forum, Civil and Political Space also shunned the briefing.

Besides expressing disappointment with the absence of the CSO leaders, Cabinet ministers at the briefing went ahead to respond to most of the issues raised by CSOs.

While CSOs urged Mutharika to reduce local and international travels, Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda said Mutharika will continue to selectively attend crucial international meetings.

Said Chaponda: “The issue about United Nations General Assembly [UNGA] delegation was already clarified by the President, and he has not really been travelling with many people compared to his predecessors.”

On Cashgate, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu said government is not shielding anybody involved in Cashgate.

He said government is doing all it can to conclude Cashgate cases, further challenging CSOs that claim Lilongwe is shielding some suspects to substantiate such remarks.

Concurring with Tembenu, Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe said Cashgate cannot happen now as government is currently able to reconcile accounts between the Accountant General’s office and the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM).

Gondwe also stressed the need for the country to find own resources to finance the health and education sectors as well as subsidies.

“It is not possible to have 100 percent funding in government with donors withholding 30-40 percent of the funds. The IMF [International Monetary Fund] has advised us to be able to cover own day-to-day expenditures in two to three years.

Government is embarking on stringent reforms to cut expenditure and we will have monthly performance audits,” said Gondwe.

Gondwe also noted that the real sector is struggling to produce, but argued that Malawi is doing fine to stabilise its currency, kwacha, as compared to other countries.

On his part, Education Minister Emmanuel Fabiano said government needs another source of funds to improve quality of education.

Council for Non Governmental Organisations in Malawi (Congoma), Maxwell Matewere thanked government for the engagement. He also promised CSOs’ continued cooperation and availability on matters of national importance.

Tags: RBMUndule MwakasungulaUNGA
Previous Post

Unmasking comedian M4k173n1 in death

Next Post

Malawi, EU sign K26bn agreement

Related Posts

Protesting pay cut: Mathanga
National News

Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

March 7, 2021
Mulli: The chiefs chose Kaduya
National News

RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

March 7, 2021
Ndala: The case was closed
National News

Police, DPP, ‘ignore’ court order

March 6, 2021
Next Post
goodal gemann | The Nation Online

Malawi, EU sign K26bn agreement

Opinions and Columns

Search Within

Cut out the religious dogma from Covid-19 vaccines

March 7, 2021
Big Man Wamkulu

Won’t libido-boosting pills kill him?

March 7, 2021
Political Uncensored

Pulling rank…

March 7, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Ombudsman has challenged us all

March 7, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Lowe: We are trying to find potential markets

    Ministry plans to export 1m tonnes surplus maize

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Court blocks RBM deputy governor salary cut

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SKC ‘intervenes’ on youths’ demos

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt to finance 15 major projects

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • RBM sues Mulli, 4 others

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.