Opposition parties and Non Government Organisations
(NGOs) in Malawi have urged President Joyce Banda to cut short her trip
in the US and return to the country to sort out problems that have
plagued her government.
The government has however said all is well since the country has got systems in place to handle emerging problems.
President Banda left the country on the September
16 for US to attend this year’s UN General Assembly and is yet to return
to Malawi.
Since her departure, a number of problems have
emerged including theft of public cash where two civil servants were
caught with about $33,000 and $325,000 respectively. The director of
budget in the Ministry of Finance, Paul Mphwiyo was also shot and is now
recuperating in South Africa.
The arrests of the two officials revealed
loopholes in the Integrated Financial Information Management System
(IFMS), which has led to millions of dollars being stolen from public
coffers.
The financial system has since been abandoned and
police and other government agencies have instituted investigations in
what would be seen as massive theft.
Shooting
Apart from the stealing of government money and
the shooting of the director of budget, the country airport workers are
protesting over their allowances, University of Malawi workers are also
demanding for 25 per cent salary increase which the government promised.
There is also maize shortage that has led to rationing of the grain to
10 kilograms per person at the market.
Leader of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Peter
Mutharika asked President Banda to consider cutting her trip short to
sort out the ‘crisis’.
“I urge the president to return back and sort out the crisis,” he said during a political rally.
Congress for Non Governmental Organisation of Malawi (Congoma) said crisis in the country needs urgent attention of Mrs Banda.
“We are meeting as NGOs to chart out the way
forward and will communicate to government on how we want them to
address the problems which the country is going through now,” Congoma
chairperson Voice Mhone said.
The lobbyists' have given President Banda 30 days
to publicly declare her assets, root out corruption, and provide
evidence on the rotten maize in the silos.
However, government believes there was no need for
the president to cut short her trip as the country has enough
mechanisms within its system that would take care of the said crisis.
Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu said it was
an insult to suggest that there was power vacuum in Malawi since the
office of Vice-President is in charge.
“There is no need for the president to cut her
visit short, government agencies are taking care of all duties of
running government,” he said.
President Banda addressed the UN general assembly on the September 20, 2013.
SOURCE: AFRICAN REVIEW
President Banda addressed the UN general assembly on the September 20, 2013.
SOURCE: AFRICAN REVIEW
