Malawi Minister of Information and Civic Education Brown Mpinganjira on Thursday hit at the country’s donor community for subjecting the People’s Party (PP) administration to what he called “unfair punishment” on the Capital Hill cashgate.
Speaking during the dedication ceremony for the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod Radio the information minister said donors had no justification to suspend their budgetary support to the country “because President Joyce Banda has shown willingness to combat fraud and corruption through measures she instituted way before the cashgate came into the limelight.”
Said Mpinganjira: “Instead, President Banda should have been complimented and assisted in her efforts to fight fraud and corruption. It is unfortunate that instead of giving her the support she needed in her fight against the vices, she is being punished through withdrawal of budgetary support”.
Mpinganjira, who is also the official government spokesperson, feared that double standards played by the donors may eventually worsen fraud and corruption levels in Africa.
He said most African countries would stop combating fraud and corruption decisively to ensure donor taps keep flowing.
“I have serious problems when donors suspend their support where leaders have shown their commitment towards eliminating fraud and corruption.
“In essence, this means our donors wouldn’t mind if the cashgate was kept under wraps,” he observed.
Two weeks ago, Malawi’s major donors under the Common Approach to Budgetary Support (Cabs) announced the withholding of $150 million (about K60 billion) earlier earmarked for the October and December quarter of the 2013/14 financial year due to financial mismanagement at Capital Hill.
The donors expressed disappointment at revelations of the plunder of government resources and have since delayed budgetary and sector support until corrective measures are taken.
Donors contribute about 40 percent of Malawi’s national budget while contributing funds towards the sectors of transport, water, health and education.
Cabs chairperson Sarah Sanyahumbi is on record to have said trust and confidence between the donors and government was lost and it would take time to rebuild.
And this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Malawi is “in a crisis situation” and asked authorities to ensure “drastic actions” to normalise relations with the country’s development partners.
The IMF also condemned recent revelations of misappropriation of huge sums of public funds at Capital Hill, saying the situation has triggered anger among Malawians as well as uncertainty to Malawi’s economic outlook.
