Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda says he will not stop handing out money to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) members.
The minister, who is vying for the position of the party’s secretary general , made the declaration to party members he met at MCP Southern Region office in Blantyre.
Said Chithyola Banda: “Whenever I find money I will be spending it on party members. Whether people write about it or not, the money I make is for the party members as well.”
His statement was in direct response to stories The Nation has reported on on him and Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma who have come under the spotlight for dishing out money to delegates ahead of the party’s August 8 to 10 2024 convention.
During the meeting with North-South Region delegates in Mzuzu last week, the two gave out K76.5 million while on July 5, Chithyola Banda handed out K52.5 million or K500 000 to each of the 105 delegates he met at Demera Hotel in Lilongwe.
In Blantyre yesterday, Chithyola Banda told the delegates that he had given K5 million to the party’s contestant in the July 23 Chilaweni Ward by-election.
He further promised to buy 200 chairs for the party’s office.
The minister later gave party members cash, branded umbrellas and T-shirts.
Three delegates we spoke to confirmed receiving cash but said they were yet to count the money.
The delegates included those from the MCP South Region and districts such as Neno, Phalombe, Chikwawa, Mulanje and Nsanje.
The meeting was also attended by more than 10 MCP members of Parliament, including Olipa Chimangeni of Ntchisi North East, Lobin Lowe of Lilongwe Central, Ken Kandodo Banda of Kasungu Central and Kafanikhale Mandevana of Nsanje Central.
In he remarks, C h i m a n g e n i a s ke d Chithyola Banda to buy buses for the party when he is elected secretary general, saying women should not travel to party events in lorries.
On his part, Kandodo B a n d a c omme n d ed Chithyola Banda for committing to help party members but said the party should establish companies to improve its finances.
Chithyola Banda refused to grant media interviews to clarify reports that police at Kamuzu International Airport have a bag or money allegedly belonging to him.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Law Society (MLS) has asked the Registrar of Political Parties to take action against MCP whose candidates are giving cash handouts.
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