Tag Archives: Government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi

Malawi

Malawi Govt faulted for reducing VP Chilima’s benefits

Maravi Post Reporter

The country’s law experts have faulted government for limiting Vice-President Saulosi Chilima’s benefits to when he is doing government business only.

 

A letter signed by Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara, addressed to all principal secretaries and heads of department, says the Vice-President will be accorded his benefits “ whenever he is conducting government businesses”.

 

But Michael Goba Chipeta, who is the immediate former secretary of the Malawi Law Society (MLS), said the Presidents Salaries and Benefits Act says vice-presidents are entitled to the benefits by virtue of being vice-presidents and not necessarily when they are doing government businesses.

 

Chipeta has quoted Section 4 (1b) of the Presidents Salaries and Benefits Act.

 

“The Act is very clear. It says the Vice-President shall be entitled to the salary, benefits and facilities prescribed in part 2 of the schedule. So the entitlements are by virtue of being the Vice- President and not only when he is doing government work. The Act doesn’t say that. Whether he is attending a wedding or going to church or anywhere else, he is supposed to have those entitlements,” he said as quoted in the Daily Times .

 

MLS president Alfred Majamanda has concurred with Chipeta saying the Act does not specify the scenarios where the Vic- President is to be accorded his benefits.

 

But government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi has backed the decision saying Chilima will only be using government resources he is entitled to when he is doing government business assigned to him by President Peter Mutharika.

 

“The letter [to the principal secretaries] is self-explanatory. If, for example, the Vice- President is attending a meeting or anything he has been delegated by the President, then that is government business because he is the Vice-President. Vice-presidents act on delegated power from presidents. If he is doing government businesses, then he will be accorded everything he is entitled to because he is the Vice-President of the State,” he said.

 

Government has announced the move barely a week after Chilima lambasted the Democratically Progressive Party-led government accusing it of corruption and described it as rotten to the core last Saturday when he launched his United Transformation Movement at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe.

 

Malawi, Top News

Malawi Govt scales down former leader JB’s security personnel

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The former President Joyce Banda says her security is compromised ahead of the 2019 Tripartite Elections as government has disarmed her security personnel.

Banda’s spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya told the Nation Newspaper that government is also failing to allocate vehicles to the former president which is contrary to the Presidential Privileges Act.

“Nothing has really changed except giving the former president a house. She is using personal vehicles despite the Presidential Privileges Act stating otherwise,” said Chanthunya

But government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi said Banda should follow up with relevant authorities if she has issues on her terminal benefits.

“What is so special with Joyce Banda that she always complains about her benefits? She will not get anything from government through complaints. Let her follow State etiquette and protocol, and follow up with relevant authorities,” he said.

The country’s first female president told a church gathering in May that government started paying her monthly retirement benefits last year, stating that she gets MK1.1 million.

She, however, said there are still unpaid arrears for 2016.

Banda said she tithed part of the 2017 payment to her church in Zomba and promised to tithe part of her 2016 arrears to the Livingstonia Synod of the CCAP church in Mzuzu.

Banda, fondly called JB, claims she has struggled to get her benefits from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government which ousted her from power in 2014.

Some of the benefits include security, a retirement house, vehicles and gratuity.

Health, Malawi, Politics, Top News

Malawians chide President Mutharika on Chief Lundu appointment as MBTS’s board chair

Special Absalom

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)Malawians have reacted angrily to the appointment of Paramount Chief Lundu as Chairperson of Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) Board, Maravi Post has learnt.

Lundu was appointed as MBTS board chairperson on Wednesday according to a press statement signed by Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara.

According to some Malawians including Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Juliana Lunguzi as well as Human rights activist Billy Mayaya, the move only aims at rewarding the chief for being loyal to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

They argued that the position needs someone with full knowledge saying MBTS is technical institution.

“The President would have looked at the technical expertise of Paramount Chief Lundu before the appointment,” Lunguzi said.

According to Lunguzi, politically connected appointments have resulted in the country having under-performing institutions since they lack proper leadership.

“You can agree with me that, oftentimes, such appointments have brought various challenges to our statutory corporations don’t perform very well simply because we just put those who can endorse without questioning the processes that have to be followed,” she said.

Human rights activist Billy Mayaya said; “As civil society, we feel the role of chiefs is being undermined with such political appointments. The primary mandate of chiefs is to ensure that their subjects are being taken care of, in terms of social services. The appointment of Lundu is a sign that he is being rewarded for the negative opinions he was holding against members of the opposition.”

Chancellor College political commentator, Ernest Thindwa, has said the appointment is one of the methods the DPP is using to gain votes in the Shire Valley where the main opposition Malawi Congress Party is making inroads.

“I don’t think there is any chief today who can say he can influence the way people vote. So, the DPP should rethink its strategy. That is why most of these bodies are not performing [well],” he said.

However, government spokesperson, Nicholas Dausi, defended the appointment.

“I think that is a very wrong conclusion. The question of technicalities does not arise because this institution has technical officers on the ground who do their work to their level best,” he said.

Lundu was among the chiefs who petitioned Speaker of Parliament and the Office of the President (OPC) against Electoral Reforms (Amendment) Bills late last year.

Human Rights, Malawi

Malawi one party era victims ask Government to stop compensate ex-MYPs

Special Absalom

Malawians who were victimized during the one party era under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Government, on Monday asked Government not to compensate the ex-Malawi Young Pioneers (ex-MYPs).

Speaking at a press conference in Mzuzu, the group said Government should instead compensate them as the victims of the ex-MYPs and MCP Government.

According to the leader of the group, under the banner of Malawi Returnees and Political Detainees (Karonga Chapter) Charles Mwenifumbo, said that paying ex-MYPs who played a big role in victimizing them, would increase the victims’ pain.

“We have been asking for Government to compensate us, especially as victims of Government in the one party era, but we are yet to be answered. It will therefore, be painful to us, to see that the ex-MYPs, who victimized us, are compensated with our taxpayers’ money,” said Mwenifumbo.

While concurring with Mwenifumbo, the group’s secretary Chaccobbins Mfula said only their leaders were compensated between 1996 and 1997, with the cash between K5,000 to K25 000 by Government.

The group’s call is in line with what Undule Mwakasungula, a renowned human rights campaigner, who last week made a similar overture to Government.

Mwakasungula said the main opposition MCP should compensate the ex-MYPs and not Government.

However, MCP Deputy Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka, is on record as distancing his Party from Mwakasungula’s call. He said the “ex-MYPs were recruited by the Malawi Government through an Act of Parliament and not the MCP.”

When contacted for comment on the matter, Government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi asked for more time.