By Watipaso Mzungu
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has protested the decision by the Tonse Alliance-led government to change the fiscal year from July—June cycle, arguing the change was made without a nod from the people who put the administration in government.
However, CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa, who addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Thursday, acknowledged that President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has not violated any law by making such a paradigm shift in policy direction.
Namiwa made the remarks when he address the media in Lilongwe a day after the Tonse government announced the change to the fiscal year.
He said although it is not very strange for governments make policy changes, his organization was of the view that relevant stakeholders should have been involved through a thorough consultative process.
“We, at CDEDI, believe that in a modern day democracy, deliberate efforts should have been made to create space for stakeholders’ consultations before government came up with such a drastic change in policy which will require amendments of some acts of parliament to accommodate the same. It is even more mind boggling when one looks back at the history of one of the major alliance partners, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Malawians of good will should be worried with the current trend of making dictatorial policy shifts, which if left unchecked, it will set a very bad precedent, under the disguise of using the privilege of executive powers,” he said.
He challenged Chakwera to bring forward evidence that his government made consultations with relevant stakeholders before coming up the decision.
Namiwa warned that should the President fail to produce such an evidence, CDEDI will move the courts to stop government from implementing the policy shift until such a time when thorough consultations will have been done.
He also questioned the Tonse government’s decision to close borders without consulting relevant stakeholders.
“CDEDI believes such a decision should have been made with the relevant stakeholders who are likely to be directly affected, such as the revenue collection bodies and other business operators that are involved in cross border trade. CDEDI is further challenging the Malawi government to learn from the neighboring country Tanzania on how they managed to contain the pandemic without tampering with the boarders, and immediately rescind its decision for the same reason of infringing on the economic rights of those people whose livelihoods depend on cross border trade. CDEDI will again move the courts in the event that government decides not to rescind its decision,” said Namiwa.
On the other hand, the CDEDI boss regretted that Malawians will be celebrating Christmas and the New Year festivities ‘with the shocking revelation of increased domestic debt which has the potential to push up the inflation rate, the lending rate and by extension increased cost of living, a development that will eat away disposable cash and in the process push more people into poverty’.
He said these circumstances could easily be contained if Chakwera stood firm on his promise to control unnecessary expenses such as external travels and the unjustifiable local travels.
“This is also a timely warning and reminder to the Tonse Alliance government to embrace austerity measures by spending on areas that bring value for the money spent. This briefing is also coming at a time when the VAT on cocking oil is showing its ugly face on the poor people since the shelf price for cooking oil has gone up. CDEDI is therefore challenging the Tonse Alliance administration to scrap off the 16. 5 percent value added tax (VAT),” said Namiwa.
He warned that CDEDI and other well-meaning Malawians are closely monitoring the way the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is discharging its duties.
Namiwa said he was further dismayed with the deafening silence from the Tonse government on the rot that has engulfed Karonga District Council.
He challenged ACB Director Reyneck Matemba to zero in on the alleged corruption and abuse of power at the council before Malawians make their own conclusions.
“This is a clear example of selective application of justice CDEDI has been advocating against. On the other hand CDEDI has learnt with shock the news that the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) is yet to pay traders who supplied maize recently. This is unacceptable since the parastatal is depriving the suppliers their source of income and livelihood. CDEDI is, therefore, challenging President Chakwera to swiftly intervene on the matter,” said Namiwa.
CDEDI is a non-partisan, nongovernmental organization that was established in a quest to attain a well-informed and organized citizenry that can ably demand their social and economic rights at the same time hold duty bearers accountable for their actions.
Among many others CDEDI aims at sensitizing the masses on matters of national importance, inculcate the spirit of a peaceful coexistence among people of different ethnic, political and religious affiliations; provide civic education on people’s rights and responsibilities in economic independence and contribution towards national development and lobbying for the electoral law reforms.
