Malawi CSOs give JB 30 days to act on governance lapses, call for tax halt

Members of the Malawi Civil Society operating under the resuscitated umbrella called Grand Coalition have called on tax payers to halt if the Joyce Banda administration does not act on several governance lapses in the next 30 days.

Among other issues, the coalition has highlighted evident rising corruption levels in government, lack of clear sense of direction on maize scarcity, executive arrogance; continued problems in the health care system and national security lapses as “serious matters that require urgent leadership attention.”

But government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu has called for “some listening and understanding” on the part of CSOs.

But Political Science Association chairperson Joseph Chunga thinks “it is a very positive development to hear CSOs’ voice on national issues after months of ‘strange silence’”

According to him, the Joyce Banda administration has an opportunity to demonstrate that it is different from its predecessors by seriously acting on the reported cases of corruption and embezzlement.

“Corruption is not new and particular to current government; what is critical is whether Joyce Banda wants Malawians to remember her leadership as corrupt or one that punished and disassociated itself from corrupt members,” said Chunga.

The CSOs are also incensed that the JB government has not reconstituted a presidential dialogue group which dissolved following change of power at the demise of the late Bingu wa Mutharika despite government committing to do so.

“Since government is seen to be irresponsible to tax payers, the civil society might consider mobilizing Malawians against payment of taxes in whatever form should the government not take steps to deal with the alarming looting of public resources,” reads a communiqué signed by 16 organisations.

Asked to clarify at a press conference in Lilongwe, Council for Non-Governmental Organisation (CONGOMA) chairperson Voice Mhone said “yes in 30 days we expect tangible evidence on the ground.”

“We will sit down in 30 days and by then we expect maize in Admarc depots, we expect tangible evidence of action against corruption in government,” echoed Benedicto Kondowe of Civil Society Education Coalition.

At the press conference, there was also an attempt to compare the first 18 months of the predecessor regime of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Mutharika and People’s Party (PP) of President Banda in terms of corruption.

“The most evident difference is that there were a few people enriching themselves during the Bingu regime and now everyone has is close to the purse is free to loot,” said Chris Chisoni Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace National Secretary.

“Should we be paying taxes just to enrich the privileged while Malawi still suffers luck of quality services,” queried Jacob Nkhambule of CCAP Livingstonia Synod Church and Society.

Sentiments of self enrichment also led to the call for the president to heed calls for her to publicly declare her assets to avoid questions of how she is amassing new worth.

“This is a fundamental issue and it will be important if the president can lead by example particularly when she has been on the podium talking about corruption in the previous government,” said Human Rights Consultative Committee Director Baldwin Chiyamwaka.

The CSOs also challenged the ruling PP to bring evidence on how they have managed to acquire so many party vehicles in just 18 months.

On maize scarcity, the CSOs have asked government to explain among others how the dis-coloured maize from national silos was disposed of, and why is the president propagating food distribution when Admarc depots are dry.

“One cannot help but to see a PP ploy as we go towards 2014 elections,” said Kondowe.

The coalition (GCSC) has also doubted the credibility of ongoing investigations probing into issues surrounding the shooting of finance ministry budget director Paul Mphwiyo with President Banda already declaring knowledge of the culprits.

The organisation participating in the grand coalition are include Catholic CCJP, CONGOMA, CSEC, HRCC, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP), Centre for Youth and Children Affairs (CEYCA), Citizens for Justice (CFJ), Civic and Political Space (CPS), Church and Society – Livingstonia Synod, Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN), NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO GCN), The Governance Platform (GP), Malawi Justice Economic Network (MEJN), Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and Malawi Congress for Trade Unions (MCTU).

—Read full report and analysis in THE NATION tomorrow