By Falles Kamanga
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo-Banda on Friday, August 18, 2023, had the guts to say that there is steady progress in the strides the Reverend Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance administration by making in almost all sectors in the face of prevailing social and economic challenges.
In his winding-up speech before the Parliament rose sine die on Friday, Chimwendo-Banda asked Malawians not to despair since the change will eventually come.
Among others, he cited the progress made to end the persistent power blackouts, the recruitment of over 6 700 health officers and over 4 000 auxiliary teachers as well as the tuition support to 25 000 students against 13 000 the previous year.
Said Chimwendo Banda: “Malawians should not despair, challenges will always be there but if you have a leader like President Lazarus Chakwera who is focused and determined then you are assured that he will eventually provide the solutions. The country is on track and is being steered in the right direction.”
He said the administration has introduced medical aid schemes and special allowances under a new salary structure to improve the lives of civil servants.
He, therefore, called for patience and perseverance saying Malawians should not only focus on results but appreciate that results come out of progress.
But in his remarks, Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa observed that the government has been coming up with various excuses for the ailing economy.
He pointed out, for instance, that the government’s plans to distribute maize to the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) depots for sale to vulnerable Malawians lack clarity on where the maize would come from.
Nankhumwa also faulted the government for failing to disclose full details of the East Bridge fertilizer deal.
“Although we have heard that the government is canceling, or has canceled this deal, Malawians are interested to know the extent the taxpayer is going to suffer in monetary terms as a result of that cancellation. I am saying this because we hear East Bridge is about to claim hundreds of billions of kwacha from the Malawi Government as a result of the said cancellation.”
Parliament passed six Bills during the 2nd meeting in the 50th session including Bill No. 16 of 2023: International Development Association Food Systems Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa Project-Phase 3 (Authorisation) and Bill No. 17 of 2023: International Bank for Reconstruction (Food System Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa Project- Phase 3) (Authorisation).
Others are Bill No. 18 of 2023: Rumphi Water and Sanitation Services Improvement Project Loan (Authorisation), Bill No. 19 of 2023: International Development Association (SADC Regional Statistics Project) (Authorisation) and Bill No. 14 of 2023: Additional Financing for the Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprise Programme Loan (Authorisation).
In all of Chimwendo’s claims, is he aware that people are sleeping at the filling station for fuel? Does Chimwendo know that Malawians are struggling to access exorbitant Maize prices?
Which government is on track, when it can’t have enough forex to essential medical suppliers in public hospitals? Does Chimwendo understand how high inflation has skyrocketed goods and services?
Does Chimwendo aware that for the last three years, only Chakwera in the SADC region traveled outside his country every two months draining Malawians’ hard-earned forex?
Does Chimwendo aware that his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) youth are all over stealing from foreigners’ shops without shame?
Richard Chimwendo Banda must shut up his mouth to concentrate on winning back people’s lost confidence in Reverend Chakwera if at all will work as only a year and a half has remained ahead of the 2025 general elections.
