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Chiefs threaten MPS over K4bn

 

Traditional leaders from Southern and Eastern regions have threatened to mobilise their subjects to vote out any legislator who will challenge disbursement of the controversial K4 billion fund.

The chiefs, under the banner of Chiefs Council of Malawi, declared that every incumbent member of Parliament (MP) who will obstruct the pay-out is not development minded and must consider themselves “laid off” come May 2019.

The chiefs were speaking during a media briefing yesterday at Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa’s Mtunda Osema headquarters in Thyolo.

Lundu (C), Ngolongoliwa (L) and Kawinga during the briefing in Thyolo yesterday

The briefing was organised by the council to support the payment of K4 billion, defend Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodal Gondwe and Kondwani Nankhumwa of Local Government and Rural Development for their role in the K4 billion and also condemn the April 27 nationwide demos.

About 15 senior chiefs and six traditional authorities (T/A) led by paramount chiefs Ngolongoliwa, Lundu of Chikwawa and Kawinga of Machinga were paraded at the briefing moderated by Senior Chief Lukwa of Kasungu in his capacity as secretary general of the Chiefs Council.

The battle for K4 billion funding is gathering momentum with some councillors also saying they will block it for having no operational guidelines and their direct involvement.

But leading his fellow chiefs, Lundu said: “As chiefs, we are angry with these MPs who want to prevent the allocation of the K4 billion to our areas for development.”

The chiefs also condemned organisers of the April 27 nationwide demonstrations alleging that they had received funds from foreign bodies and opposition party leaders to destabilise the country.

But commenting on the chiefs’ sentiments, Chancellor College political analyst Ernest Thindwa said it was unfortunate that chiefs do not know their role; hence,  willing to be used by p

olitical masters.

On his part, one of the April 27 demos organisers Timothy Mtambo described calls by the chiefs are “baseless”.

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