Parties faulted on accountability of funds Malawi

While the idea of political parties seeking contributions from their membership is good, the system can be frustrated by political parties’ lack of accountability, a Chancellor College lecturer has noted.

Some political parties, notably the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), the ruling People’s Party (PP) and Umodzi Party (UP) have asked their members to make contributions for the parties’ operations.

MCP put a poster asking people to donate K100 each while PP is running an SMS promotion where people are required to text ‘JB’ to the code ‘2014’ at K100 per message to stand a chance to have lunch with President Joyce Banda. UP put a half-page newspaper advert asking for contributions.

But associate professor in political and administrative studies at Chancellor College, Happy Kayuni, said Tuesday that while the idea of soliciting funds from members is good, political parties are not ready in terms of accountability.

Said Kayuni: “History of our political parties shows that they are the worst in terms of accountability. This will make it difficult to account for the money from the members.”

He said the parties should have first established systems that will allow members to follow their money and question where they are not happy “Members cannot hold parties accountable to mismanagement because of poor systems. So when people contribute, they will not be sure whether they will follow how their money will be spent,” noted Kayuni.

MCP secretary general Chris Daza said his party will have the financial system that is transparent and open to all that would want to see.

Ken Msonda, PP deputy publicity secretary, also said the party has put accountability as its top priority.

President of UP Professor John Chisi pointed out that the people will be able to follow party expenditures and question where they are not happy.

“For example, if one gives money to buy a vehicle but does not ask for anonymity, his or her name will be written on the vehicle. Again there will be people who will be employed to do evaluations,” he said.

Kayuni said political party members should be able to buy membership cards in order to claim party ownership, which, unfortunately, is not happening in Malawi.

“That is why today, I can be a member of PP, tomorrow UDF and the next day MCP. This is because there are no structured systems that can determine party loyalty,” he said.

The system, according to Kayuni, was complicated by the old MCP which forced people to buy membership cards whether one was a member or not.