(MaraviPost): Public Affairs Committee (PAC), a powerful religious grouping in Malawi has blasted President Mutharika’s executive arrogance for going ahead with Malawi Savings Bank (MSB) sale to FDH Bank despite Parliament recommendation of stopping the transaction.
Pac’s reaction comes amid series of accusations from the general public towards the bank’s sale when earlier the President suspended the sale to pave a way for consultations which according to commentators was a trick to allow Malawi Parliament to pass the 2015/2016 National budget then reversed the decision by going ahead with the sale.
The Malawi government through the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe on July 2, 2015 signed sale agreements with FDH Holdings Limited to buy 75 percent shares in the MSB bank at tune of MK9.5 billion.
The minister also signed another agreement with National Bank of Malawi (NBM) for shares in IndeBank as Thom Mpinganjira signed on behalf of FDH Holdings as its Chairperson while George Partridge signed on behalf of NBM.
In an exclusive interview with the Maravi Post on Tuesday, Reverend Dr Felix Chingota, PAC’s Chairperson expressed dismay over the President’s decision saying country’s democratic governance rules have been violated for undermining another arm of government-Parliament.
Dr Chingota wondered as to why the head of state could lie to the nation of suspending the Banks’s sale while he knew was to go ahead with the decision describing the move as executive arrogance which characterizes dictatorial tendency.
“This is very unfortunate development for the future of Malawi. The power to rule derives from the people with all the trust. So, if such trust is being taken for a ride then you are not supposed to call yourself a leader.
“Democracy is government by the people for the people therefore Malawi embraces democratic key values of transparency and accountability in any decision which affects the people. The general public is engaged through representation in Parliament.
“Pac thought that the suspension was towards the consultation through the Parliament but now is something else. The President went ahead with the sale despite the general assembly recommendation of stopping the transaction. This is dictatorial tendency one develops when he don’t respect the rule of democratic governance.
“The decision has to be reversed for proper transactions as recommended by the national assembly which represents people’s wishes for leaders to work on than undermining its functions which serves all of us”, urges Dr. Chingota.
Public Affairs Committee is one of the powerful religious group whose influence on Malawi’s political scene is undisputable comprise of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Malawi Councils of Churches (MCC), Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), Quadria Association of Malawi (QAM) and Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM).
Apart from fighting for democracy during 1994 elections, PAC was also instrumental in thwarting former president Bakili Muluzi’s infamous third term and open term bids.
