Parliament explains expenditure
Parliament has once again moved in to issue a clarification on reports that it has spent K213 million ($380,357) meant for committee meetings in the 2015/6 National Budget, but its 15 committees never met.
Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango said on Monday government had received complaints from members of Parliament (MPs) that committee meetings did not take place, yet Parliament received funding.
However, briefing journalists in Lilongwe yesterday, Parliament chief public relations officer Leonard Mengezi said committees such as Budget and Finance, Legal Affairs, Public Appointments, Defence and Natural Resources, among others, met and MPs were provided with all allowances through their bank accounts.
Initially, the news conference was scheduled to be addressed by members of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) who Mengezi said were still in a meeting and could not address the media.
Mengezi distributed to the media details of expenditures of committees starting from July to September 2015.
Responding to media queries on the motive for the barrage of stories on Parliament, Mengezi said he could not comment on the political issues happening, but to clarify on matters concerning secretariat.
On over-expenditure on operations, Mengezi said Parliament received a funding cut of K481 million in the previous year and had so far spent K2.3 billion of the K8.3 billion allocated for operations contrary to media reports. n
