Malawi suspends official travel again
Barely one week after the Malawi’s major donors announced a freeze in budgetary support, government has with immediate effect suspended both internal and external travels by its officers, including President Joyce Banda.
Government has also warned that those who do not comply risk being punished.
Unveiling the measures at a press briefing in the capital, Lilongwe on Wednesday, Malawi Minister of Finance Maxwell Mkwezalamba said the suspension is one of the expenditure controls and accounting measures for the 2013/14 financial year by the government in line with current economic conditions and the need to improve on management of public funds.
Said Mkwezalamba: “I would like to announce that government has suspended all internal and foreign travel by government officials with immediate effect. This suspension applies to all government officials across the board.”
The minister confirmed that this measure will also apply to the President who has been criticised for her frequent external and internal travels.
He said: “Yes, this measure will apply to everybody who uses government money and resources across the board.”
However, Mkwezalamba was quick to say the only trips government will allow are those that are critical or fully funded by other partners.
“The Chief Secretary to the Government [Hawa Ndilowe] is the one who will be assessing whether a particular travel is critical or not,” he said.
–Read More in tomorrows THE NATION.
Why do we behave like kids? When are we going to learn to govern ourselves?
As you were going to press, Joyce Banda was planning on a trip to Ntchisi as part of her village-by-village chief-elevation tour. Waste of taxpayers money!! Shall we see a stop to those pointless trips?
During the announcement of the 2013/14 budget in parliament it was explicitly mentioned by ken lipenga that both Joyce banda (state house) funding and khumbo kachale’ s (vice president’s office) allocations was doubled and all the members of parliament that day clapped/ululated. Now it beats me to hear the same people crying foul and yet you approved and sanctioned the same budget. Where were you when the announcement was being made? Some of us pointed out about this anomaly and the inflated figures but the whole nation thought otherwise. Joyce and khumbo plus whosoever is involved had the blessings from the people through their representatives (mp’s) – that is the bottom line. These criminals were left unchecked and yet we say we’ve a number of checking mechanisms in place in the likes of them mp’s, civil society organizations, the parliament accounts committee, the treasury, national audit office the list goes on and on………….. Let us not cry over spilt milk!!!
I for one do not think that the Minister of Finance can force Madam Joyce Mtila Kachale Banda to slow down on her many trips within and outside the country. If she was a listening person may be there would have been hope But not with Joyce. Any way let us wait and see – “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”.
To think that, we are all now about to be punished for the sins of a few – looters – is a big shame
THIS WILL BE ANOTHER PAINFUL EXPERIENCE TO BE PAYING FOR THE SINS COMMITTED BY A FEW SELFISH AND INCOMPETENT PUBLIC OFFICERS!!!!!! CHRISTMAS YA 2013 YASOKONEKELA KALE APA!
This gives me the impression that many trips embarked on by goverment officials, be them internally or externally are not sunctioned and do not serve the common good of the people of Malawi. I have met several officials on their so called official trips, seminars etc, they seem to be common ground for gossip and self enrichment. Alas, when shall we grow and start behaving like a sovereign state 50 years down the line ??? I really wonder . Keep the lid tight and let us share the burden caused by the man-made catastrophe called “Cash-Gate”. But please, do not forget to recover the loot and use it where donor money could have done the job. We need it ooooooh. !!!!!