DPP MPs contributing towards meetings

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) MPs in the Central Region agreed during a meeting a couple of months ago to be making a K10 000 (about $60) monthly contribution towards campaign.

 

But some MPs are not happy with the arrangement, claiming they have other pressing needs in their constituencies.

However, the party’s regional governor for the Centre Kalazi Mbewe, while confirming the monthly contributions from the MPs on Tuesday, explained that the funds are used to meet minor logistical costs.

DPP has 40 MPs in the Central Region, which translates to K400 000 (about $2 395) in a month and K4.8 million (about $28 743) in one year.

Three DPP MPs, who sought anonymity for fear of reprisals, claimed this week that they are being forced to pay the contributions as they were not consulted on the matter before the decision was made.

“The money is being used to pay for logistics for some of the rallies we are conducting in our constituencies to campaign for Professor Peter Mutharika so that he wins in 2014.

“It also follows our complaints that there isn’t much being done on the ground in our constituencies to strengthen the party and campaign for Peter Mutharika’s presidential candidature in 2014,” said the MP.

‘Some MPs reluctant to pay’

Another MP added that some of the legislators are reluctant to pay the money because they feel they are being forced to do so.

“The contributions are not going on well and this is affecting effectiveness of the funds.

“As MPs, we don’t have a lot of money because our salaries are already low and we also have to meet the needs of people in our constituencies.

“The money could be used to support some development activities in our villages,” said the MP.

The MPs said the contributions started last year after the party’s third vice-president Dr. Jean Kalilani, who is also MP for Dowa Central, proposed the same at their regional meeting.

Kalilani on Tuesday referred the issue to former Finance Minister Ken Kandodo, who is also Kasungu Central MP, to comment on how the K10 000 initiative started.

‘No one is being forced’

Kandodo on Thursday said the decision was made in September last year to create a fund which the party could use to conduct rallies and other activities in various constituencies. This means the MPs have contributed the money for about seven months.

“No one is being forced to contribute. The idea was hatched in September when MPs met. It was clear that we needed some money to carry out some party work in some constituencies.

“We need some funds to do that. It was purely voluntary. Some people are paying while others are not paying, but no action has been taken against those who are not paying,” said Kandodo who refused to disclose how much they have so far collected.

Asked on MPs’ claim that the money is meant to facilitate Mutharika’s campaign, he said: “That is totally untrue. What we have tried to do is to strengthen the party like any other party does by having some funds to conduct rallies from time to time.”

DPP secretary general Elias Wakuda Kamanga referred the matter to Kalazi Mbewe.

Mbewe said the legislators are paying the money because they are the owners of the party.

“We don’t want to go to the President all the time to give us money even for things like funerals. The MPs are paying the money because they love their party. On the day the decision was made, we collected over K100 000,” said Mbewe.

Asked what the party would give to the MPs in return for their contributions, he said: “If you have noted, we are going to every constituency to conduct rallies so that DPP remains strong in the Central Region.”