LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Details have emerged that the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) blows MK1.2 billion on rentals per annum in Lilongwe while only MK60 million only when operating from Blantyre.
All well meaning Malawians working for MEC are ready to relocate to Blantyre as per presidential directive issued early this year but it is the Chairperson and few others who do not want to relocate.
Details also show that with effect from April 1 this year, the rentals at the Lilongwe building have been increased from MK34 million to MK45 million per month.
Further, the rentals for the Njewa warehouse have been hiked from MK38 million to MK62 million per month.
Analysts and insiders have said MEC’s leadership is refusing to relocate to Blantyre because it is making business out of the rentals.
“And the leadership is arrogant and extravagant. Why do they want to spend a lot of money on rentals when there is a cheaper way of doing the same thing?
“I ask the government to ensure that the Commission has relocated,” one analyst said.
The Commission also goofed when it wanted the Ministry of Lands and Housing Development to cover its rentals for the warehouse.
Information that we have shows that the Commission had already budgeted for the warehouse rentals in its Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT).
This is one of the reasons the Commission withdrew the warehouse court case.
MEC chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja has been challenging the Presidential order to relocate to Blantyre but it is high time the commission did so.
Currently, opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is in court supporting MEC against offices relocation to Blantyre.
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