Two Cabinet ministers on Wednesday evening gave out K76.5 million to North-South Region delegates in Mzuzu in a bid to win their support ahead of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) elective convention next month.
In separate interactions with the 153 potential convention delegates at Nyachenda Motel hall, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda gave K200 000 each, translating to K30.6 million before Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma disbursed K45.9 million or K300 000 each.
By the end of the day, the delegates walked away with K500 000 each while the two ministers collectively spent K76.5 million.
Chithyola Banda is vying for the position of secretary general while Ng’oma is eyeing that of first deputy president.
Besides the cash handouts, the delegates also received branded party cloth, caps, T-shirts and umbrellas and those from outside Mzuzu had their accommodation bills paid by the aspirants.
Ng’oma was seen personally giving the delegates the cash.
He said: “I don’t have much, but you know ndine nyama zikuluzikulu [I am a big man]. I will give each one of you K300 000 and after you vote for me at the convention, I will add more. I am a person who keeps promises.”
Meanwhile, political, governance and accountability pundits have decried the tendency which normally cuts across all political parties, saying it puts democracy up for sale. In separate interviews they said the practice is tantamount to commercialisation of politics and demanded declaration of sources of such money.
During the meeting, one of the delegates, who opted for anonymity, said time has come for them to ‘eat’ from politicians.
Said the delegate: “We hear another one is coming on Friday, we will keep making money! Imagine going home with K500 000 today. Part of it is for fertiliser and I will use the other part to pay for labour on the farm.
“After voting for them, they disappear, so this is the only time we enjoy their money. We suffered in the 2019 and 2020 elections, and it’s time to get our rewards.”
Apart from North-South Region, MCP also has North-North, Central, Eastern and Southern regions and the candidates are expected to meet potential convention delegates there to canvass for support.
Reacting to the development, governance and public expenditure tracking expert Mavuto Bamusi said this practice means that Malawi’s democracy is for sale.
He said: “It is a form of corruption and a manifestation of deepening political patronage. The splashing of money and distribution of materials is an illegal campaign activity prohibited under the laws of Malawi.”
Bamusi, who previously served as an aide to former president Peter Mutharika, urged citizens and civil society to rise and demand a stop to the politics of money and call for issue-based and developmental politics.
On his part, Centre for Social Transparency and Accountability executive director Willy Kambwandira said such extravagance is an insult to many Malawians who are struggling to make ends meet.
He said: “The conduct raises serious accountability concerns. This confirms insatiable greed as a motivation for aspiring for political positions.”
University of Malawi associate professor of political science Boniface Dulani said voting for money increases the risk of electing individuals who have no capacity to grow and strengthen their party.
He said: “This behaviour has the potential to exclude candidates without substantial financial resources, even if they have more leadership potential. Ultimately, such individuals can only weaken their party and reduce its electoral appeal.”
Meanwhile, private practice lawyer Khwima Mchizi has said while the law regulates national elections, it would be naïve to ignore in-house party elections.
Section 41 (1) of the Political Parties Act provides that a candidate, political party or body or any person contesting or intending to contest in an election under this Act, shall not at any time issue handouts.
Taxpayers spend around K6.9 million monthly on each Cabinet minister in salaries and benefits and K6.6 million on the deputies who double as members of Parliament.
Cabinet ministers’ monthly entitlement include a basic salary of K1 856 000 and K1 542 800 for the deputies, house rental allowance of K1.2 million, K500 000 hospitality allowance as well as K100 000 airtime allowance for full ministers and K80 000 for juniors.
Meanwhile, efforts to source the two ministers’ declared assets at the time of assuming office proved futile as the Directorate of Public Officers Declaration of Assets and Liabilities on Thursday said it was still compiling submissions.
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