Somethings will never change! Barely a few months after Justice Minister Titus Mvalo flew to Geneva Switzerland to attend a ‘virtual’ meeting, another powerful Minister in President Lazarus Chakwera’s cabinet, the ‘Prime Minister’ Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka does not want to miss the party.
Mkaka has also gone to the same place Geneva Switzerland to attend exactly the same virtual meeting ‘physically’.
He will blow atleast K30 million of tax payers, K15 million for himself and the other K15 million for two officials accompanying him.
Apart from delivering the 5 minute speech, Mkaka will be loitering the streets of Geneva for another 7 days, enjoying life.
This development is coming amid reports of delayed civil servants salaries.
Two arms of Government,the Legislature and the Judiciary have sounded alarm bells on delayed salaries about two days ago.
But Mkaka has shown the judges, his fellow MPs and civil servants the middle fingure and left the country to spend the tax payers money.
In what looks like a pattern of not showing any care to the ordinary taxpayer let alone suffering Judicial officers,Mkaka has travelled with Pacharo Kayira the first Secretary at the Malawi Embassy and a Mr Banda.
Of late,we have seen communication from both Parliament and the Judiciary informing their respective employees who include the Speaker and the Chief Justice about the salary delays due to what they called “other stakeholders” roles as they themselves had done what was expected.
One top civil servant who did not want to be named said it is surprising and disheartening to see that instead of exercising financial discipline,the Minister has been allowed to travel blowing over K30 million in the process.
“The amount that has been spent on this trip,an amount that is being enjoyed by just three people,would have been enough to pay for salaries for all the first grade Magistrates in the country plus a few Court clerks or 16 MPs. We are left wondering as to what type of wisdom does President Chakwera employs when he authorizes such trips knowing that the opportunity cost for such is lack of salaries for the most vulnerable staff in the public service,” said the official.
“Mkaka should refund the money for his sojourn,” he advised.
STOP PRESS
Wasteful Mkaka has delivered his 5 minute speech and is now just loitering walking around Lake Geneva. The virtual meeting is for the least developed countries in Asian
Then later Mr. Shocked will be very shocked to hear it.