Bridgin query Irks Gwengwe
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Gwengwe yesterday lost his cool after a participant in Pre-Budget Consultations Meeting in Lilongwe sought clarity on $6.8 billion (about K7 trillion) grant he signed with Belgium-based Bridgin Foundation.
In his contribution during the second leg of the consultations at Bingu International Convention Centre, Mind of Youth Development executive director Joseph Pesh advised Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to avoid repeating mistakes made during the 2022/23 fiscal year such as the K750 million botched fertiliser deal with a United Kingdom-based firm and the Bridgin memorandum of understanding (MoU).
But in his reaction Gwengwe, who was visibly irritated, branded Pesh’s contribution as “nonsense” and denied that any government official signed the grant arrangement with Bridgin.
He said: “Kulibe anasayinila kuti kwabwera ndalama $6.8 billion for chani chani. That’s just nonsense. The real issues are the ones we are talking about today [the pre-budget consultations], osati kuzangosewera kuti Bridgin Foundation, that’s nonsense. Put it aside. The real question is can we have a budget that balances?”
Ironically, Gwengwe signed the MoU with Bridgin Foundation on behalf of the Malawi Government during a ceremony held at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on November 28 and witnessed by President Lazarus Chakwera.
The MoU detailed that the grant with Bridgin Foundation would finance projects touted to have capacity to help the country achieve its long-term development strategy, Malawi2063 (MW2063).
During the signing ceremony, Gwengwe said the package sought to finance projects in health, education and energy sectors.
In an interview yesterday, Pesh said he was not discouraged by the hostile reaction from the minister and vowed to continue speaking out on issues that affect the country and Malawians at large.
He said government should realise that Malawians are now up to date with developments around them and will always question authorities on their status.
Said Pesh: “There is need for integrity at the Ministry of Finance. The country is losing a lot of money. Recently, the minister signed a $6.8 billion grant, but no one knows what has become of it.
“Are Malawians dosing too much? In the 2023/24 budget, we don’t want fertiliser to be bought from a butchery again.”
Meanwhile, governance commentators have faulted Gwengwe for the outbursts, saying he displayed arrogance and lack of decorum as evidence exists that he signed the agreement.
Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency executive director William Kambwandira said the minister should come out in the open and explain to Malawians the truth about Bridgin Foundation.
He said: “We are surprised why the minister is arrogant when he is on record and seen signing the agreement. He cannot just be arrogant and dismiss it like that. If anything, let the minister tell Malawians that government goofed.”
Writing on his Facebook page last November after government signed the Bridgin agreement, former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) governor Dalitso Kabambe warned that the foundation could be one of those bogus institutions that, if not clearly assessed, could end up giving Malawi a raw deal.
He said during his time as RBM governor as well as other roles in government, there were always such tempting offers which proved they were mere “promises and cheap lies”.
But in an earlier interview, Gwengwe assured smooth execution of the grant, saying the money will go straight into the selected projects and Malawi will benefit from the same.
The deal stirred debate and some stakeholders demanding finer details on conditions of the grant.
The grant is equivalent to about three national budgets of Malawi pegged at K2.84 trillion and about half the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) at $12.6 billion.
An Internet search of Bridgin Foundation shows sketchy details highlighting that for confidentiality and security reasons, their website is intentionally left without detailed content.
