UDF backtracks on gift
United Democratic Front (UDF), whose K3 million (US$7 299.3) donation to referral hospitals was put on hold by government in the run-up to the May 20 Tripartite Elections, has said donations are not forever and has since asked the Ministry of Health to make a request for a donation if it needs money.
UDF president Atupele Muluzi, who is now Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining in President Peter Mutharika’s Cabinet, on April 6 2014 issued three cheques worth K1 million each to help ease problems patients and medical personnel were facing at Mzuzu, Kamuzu and Queen Elizabeth central hospitals. The money was a cut from his campaign.
However, government rejected the cheques when UDF officials went to present them, arguing it was acting under instructions from Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) not to accept donations during the official campaign period.
But MEC chief elections officer Willie Kalonga dismissed the claims by government, adding there is no provision that bars people from donating to hospitals in the campaign period.
Yesterday, UDF, which was asked to make the donation after the elections, said the onus is on the Ministry of Health.
Speaking in an interview, UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo said as far as his party was concerned, the donation was made and government rejected it. He said the ministry has to make a request for the donation and UDF will consider it.
Asked if the cheques and donation were still valid, Padambo said he will have to check with the banks.
Padambo added that donations are not made forever. He said the donation being made was money and money has got several uses. He said the party could not just keep the money when government rejected it and disputed that there were problems in hospitals.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Henry Chimbali maintained that the donation was ill-timed and that the party was free to make the donation after the elections.
“As we said before, the offer from the UDF was welcome but timing of the donation was rather not appropriate because it would have been difficult for some sections of the population not to view the donation more of a political campaign rather than pure social responsibility,” said Chimbali.
