I know mea culpas are hard to make but it will not help the First Family’s image to prolong the debate surrounding the K5 million First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi collected from the National Aids Commission for its launch.
Statements coming from her defenders are just making the issue worse. Take, for example, this ridiculous argument that NAC funds any function that has the potential of bringing huge crowds together. C’mon, good people, if during this Christmas I organise a football match in my village I should deploy a ‘standard’ letter, as the Mother of the Nation taught us, to NAC? Surely a football match attracts huge crowds.
Angoni Getu might have gotten the cash in good faith and for good intentions but the fall out emanating from it is not helping her image and, more importantly, that of her husband.
Already the Global Fund that bankrolls NAC has already started asking questions. If push comes to shove it may be easy for NAC to refund the K5 million to the Fund but this will have far-reaching implications for every budget line from NAC will be subjected to strenuous scrutiny.
So do the right thing, ma’am, your husband’s government is already reeling under daily strikes for people looking for a boost in their pockets. Government can hardly afford the Martha Kwataines of this world toyi-toying in the streets.
You may, of course, lose a little face but the majority of well-meaning people respect individuals who realise and accept they let their guard down on certain decisions.
