IMF says Malawi in crisis, economic outlook uncertain

I utterly condemn the abhorrent cash-gate scandal in Malawi. The govt must et up a commission of inquiry on this so that it can never be repeated in future. In addition implement prompt and penetrative investigative programmes to go wherever the facts lead.

At the same time I have to question the moral justification on the part of the donors (IMF, Dfid, EU etc) of using “AID as punitive weapon”. Where is the ethical and moral justice in that? It is time we brought this question to the forefront in the international relations forums at the UN. How many people must die due to lack of medicine or hunger while you sit there pontificating about political squablings? How many children must die before you donors release the help they need? It is time to address this question of AID head on at the UN. A few criminals have committed a crime, yes but is that cause enough to condemn and punish all the unborn Malawian babies, under fives, old and young?
If AID is going to be continually used as punitive weapon then it is time to abandon the concept of AID all together at the UN! Frankly, it is a rope of sand; encouraging the Malawi govt to rely on it for medical supplies when in reality the rug can be pulled away under their feet at any time. I would rather the govt borrow the 40% budget deficit than rely on a rope of sand of foreign AID!
Why has the IMF review not outlined say 3 conditions that must be met for AID to resume as soon as possible? Who knows what the Norwegians moral campus is in these matters but no one can doubt the British moral duty of care and its deep roots in saving lives. I am genuinely surprised at Britain joining in the use of “AID as a punitive weapon” for political blunders in Malawi. We all saw how devastated the economy and the health system were under the previous AID embargo. Is it morally acceptable for AID to be used as a weapon?

I think Ngoma is writing from a position of ignorance. What has been stopped is budgetary support. Humanitarian aid though non-government channels has never been stopped in Malawi, even during the many donor support freeze of the past regimes.

I also agree that we have become so much beggars that we are now insisting on being helped, while we Squander own resources. Such attitudes will not develop this country. Maybe, Mr. Ngoma should come home and help protect our resources from looters.

The Watergate scandal was a political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s as a result of the June 17, 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration’s attempted cover-up of its involvement. The scandal eventually led to the resignation of Richard Nixon, the President of the United States, on August 9, 1974—the only resignation of a U.S. president to date. The scandal also resulted in the indictment, trial, conviction, and incarceration of 43 people, dozens of whom were Nixon’s top administration officials.

Can Joyce Banda resign as well? Nkhuyu zodya Joyce Banda zisapote ife kuno ayo. CSO more fire on this woman thief.

Guys be careful before passing judgement on others. The debate I am referring to here is the UN mandated official development assistance (ODA) that at 0.7% target serves as a reference for 2005 political commitments to increase ODA from the EU, the G8 at Gleneagles Summit and the UN World Summit. In 1970, The 0.7% ODA/GNI target was first agreed and has been repeatedly re-endorsed at the highest level at international aid and development conferences. For example, in 2005, the 15 countries that were members of the European Union by 2004 agreed to reach the target by 2015. In 1969, the Pearson Commission – in its report “Partners in Development” – proposed a target of 0.7% of donor GNP to be reached by 1975.
This is the level of formality I am referring to. The international donors have applied aid embargo on Malawi during Kamuzu years, Muluzi years, Bingu years and now Mrs Banda year each time with devastating effect on poor people, children and the vulnerable. Drugs running out in hospitals with thousands dying in the course. The devaluation of the kwacha that trebles the prices of life saving goods in the country. AID is at the heart of the UN Charter. My question stands “ is this what the basic premise of giving aid was intended for?” What is the moral justification for using AID as a punitive weapon for political disagreements? Is it time we revisited the parameters of the AID charter at the UN? Is it promoting corruption? If it is vitally important and engrained in the international body psyche then is there some aid type that must be ring fenced against these regular embargos? My question to the international community is, what is the moral justification for using aid as a punishment for political malfunctioning of a nation?

Ngoma, are you really serious with your unjustifying the donors for their withdrawing aid from the PP and JB looting administration? No matter how long your list of organizations may be in trying to justify your accusation, but the truth is that no one can support a brother who he supports with funds for the better of the supported brother’s family welfare and yet that brother uses the support wrongly. Never should you sound an angel and yet you may be doing to your own relative the same thing the donors are doing to this ruthless JB and PP administration because of misappropriation of the Malawian finances by self-enriching themselves.