Government dares Kamlepo

Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education JappieMhango has challenged Rumphi East member of Parliament (MP) KamlepoKalua (People’s Party-PP) to produce evidence that government bought vehicles for various officials amounting to K3 billion ($5.2 million).

Kalua made the allegation in Parliament last week in response to the Executive attack on the National Assembly that it purchased vehicles for the Speaker and his deputies as well as leader of opposition at a time when the government is facing financial constraints.

Kalua claimed that he had evidence that the Executive had spent K650 million ($1.2 million) to buy top-of-the-range Toyota Prado VX models for the presidential convoy and four Toyota Landcruiser V8 models for the Vice-President and 10 Toyota Prados for senior officials and 30 vehicles of a similar make for principal secretaries (PSs).

But in a press release issued on Sunday, Mhango said the allegations were not true.

Mhango said government has not bought any member of the civil service except Malawi Police Service (MPS) for easy mobility at a time when there is high insecurity.

However, the government has bought Toyota Prado TX model vehicles for police commissioners at National Police Headquarters and those based in administrative regional offices.

“This spending was necessitated by government’s recognition of the need for tight security in the country which can be guaranteed through, among other things, easy mobility for our police,” Mhango said.

But Kalua said yesterday that he would not be intimidated by the Executive, insisting that he has the evidence and he will show it.

He said: “We have everything. The vehicles that the former vice-president [KhumboKachali] was using are not the same vehicles being used now [by Vice-President SaulosChilima]. This is very true.”