By Nenenji Mlangeni
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s newly appointed Local Government and Rural Development Minister Benson Malunga Phiri is an extravagant man. He recently blew millions of taxpayers to open a mere borehole.
Travelling with state security, state media and a horde of officials from his ministry, Phiri blew almost MK3 million to open the borehole in Thyolo.
The Minister has come under heavy criticism for the stunt.
A picture of Phiri inaugurating a borehole has gone viral on social media.
Many commentators said Phiri should learn to delegate some of such function to ward councilors.
“A whole cabinet minister, traveling with state security, state media and huge allowances just to inaugurate a borehole?” Wondered one.
“This is impunity at it’s best and one wonders if he cares at all or to him this is okey because he is not spending his money,” wrote another commentator.
Ever since Phiri was appointed a cabinet minister in June he has always been on the road conducting some functions that are not even under his ministry.
Insiders said Phiri is positioning himself as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) torchbearer for the 2024 elections as incumbent President Peter Mutharika would have served his two term mandate.
Comments
2 responses to “Malawi Local Govt Minister Ben Phiri spends millions to open a borehole in Thyolo”
It is important to realise that besides being a cabinet minister Ben Phiri is a member of Parliament for Thyolo Central. While he serve as a cabinet minister on the pleasure of the appointing authority, the State President. His political capital lies in his constituency. As he initiates development in his constituency, perhaps it is high time to reflect what our MPs and councillors are doing in our constituencies. Sometimes when commenting on these issues, it is important to look at Ben Phiri serving as cabinet minister, Ben Phiri as a lawmaker, Ben Phiri as a representative of his constituency and even Ben Phiri as a philanthropist. But when you are a narcissist, you can also brand anything that Ben Phiri does as negative.
God forbid a Ben Phiri kungokhala President Malawi mavuto alipo ndiye bolanso Chimulirenji. So in his narrow thinking he thinks that only people from Thyolo are the ones that are supposed to lead???? Useless Man.