Dont punish me for Joyce Banda’s sins – Mutharika

December 08, 2015 12:10 AM

Kondwani Mkhalipi-Manyungwa

…says Malawi cannot survive without aid

…‘we need assistance to address this crisis’

President Peter Mutharika has contradicted his earlier proclamation that the age of donor aid was over for Malawi by issuing a strong plea to donors that they should not to punish him for the sins that were committed by the Joyce Banda administration.

“You are punishing the wrong people. Cashgate was done by the previous government. Are you going to punish the subsequent government that was not involved in the scandal? In the end, it is the people who suffer when donors withhold support. What is currently happening in Malawi is very serious. We have no medicine in the hospitals because the donors left” said Mutharika in an interview with BBC Hard Talk.

He pleaded with donors to resume the aid to reverse the current economic crisis. He stated that his administration was committed to efforts intended to uproot corruption in order to gain donor confidence. He however said the malpractice was deep-rooted that it would take about 5 years to be successfully eradicated.

“Of course it was the donors’ decision. But I think it was unreasonable to leave when over $60 million had been depleted at treasury… Malawi needs about 5 years to be self-sufficient, to gradually change from an importing to an exporting nation. But in the mean time, we do need assistance during this crisis period” he added.

Donors withdrew aid in 2013 following the cashgate scandal as it emerged that over K24 billion of public funds had been stolen by government and People’s Party officials including cabinet ministers. A recent audit analysis also established that over K553 billion was uncounted for during the 2 years that Joyce Banda was president.

Mrs. Banda who had been implicated in the scandal by two top government and Peoples Party officials maintains her innocence. She left Malawi soon after the outcome of the presidential elections and she has never set her foot in the country ever since, leading commentators to allege that she was on a self-imposed exile, on the run from cashgate-linked prosecution.

Watson Mngola says:
10/12/2015 at 20:44

Walira Peter, wakuba umatero, igotsazika mwini wake Chakwera ayambepo ntchito.
Chakufwa Nyondo says:
10/12/2015 at 10:36

mr bwampini i hope it’s hve been long tym now telling malawians abt jb, we ar tired of ur lies we ar not kids that u cn tell ur useless storys.jb ws there bt we did c all dis problem and jb she solved the problems dat ur brother left without nt talking too much abt ur brother regime.nw u ar jst failing to run dis country then u ar saying jb iz da cause of all dis problem, i dnt think it’s making sense to us by evrytime wen u ar on tv repeating samething……..samething…..
Henry Maulana says:
09/12/2015 at 22:33

A Malawi azanthu kumuziko ngati zikuvuta kwambili pansewu basi
Adrian Mbendera says:
09/12/2015 at 14:56

Dzulo tinauzidwa kuti ma donors alibe ntchito. Lero tikumva kuti a presdent amachonderera ma donors kuti atithandize. Koma mitu yathu ikugwila? Atsogoleri athuwa akuziwa komwe akupita? Sakatitaya mmazi awa?
Adrian Mbendera says:
09/12/2015 at 14:56

Dzulo tinauzidwa kuti ma donors alibe ntchito. Lero tikumva kuti a presdent amachonderera ma donors kuti atithandize. Koma mitu yathu ikugwila? Atsogoleri athuwa akuziwa komwe akupita? Sakatitaya mmazi awa?
Adrian Mbendera says:
09/12/2015 at 14:56

Dzulo tinauzidwa kuti ma donors alibe ntchito. Lero tikumva kuti a presdent amachonderera ma donors kuti atithandize. Koma mitu yathu ikugwila? Atsogoleri athuwa akuziwa komwe akupita? Sakatitaya mmazi awa?
Farooq M Hassan says:
09/12/2015 at 13:10

Kkkkk ai zili kwathukuno
mavuto anayamba 2099 pano ndi wors sinthuzi sizamasewera lero chomwe sagulisa kumalawi kuno kaya nde ndichani ngat afika pofuna kugulisa zipatala zaboma nde anthu amavoteranji?
David Mtengera says:
09/12/2015 at 09:15

I hope that MK92 billion and MK577 billion scandals are also Joyce Banda’s sins .
Juwawo Wawo Nganya says:
09/12/2015 at 08:21

Kkkk
TD Wandale says:
09/12/2015 at 08:21

amalawi ambili amaganiza mopelewera nchifukwa chake tikuona mavuto omwe tikuwaonawa ndipo tiyembekeze kut mavutowa akhalapo mpaka 2019 chofunika nkuzavotera munthu yemwe sanakhalepo kunja kwa nthawi yaitali amenei ndi yemwe amaziwa mavuto akuno ku malawi.
Davie Namagonya says:
09/12/2015 at 07:03

malawi, is about to collapse,,nt so long ,the only best solution to our country is to privatise the whole country bt to #lord_jesuschrist_of_nazareth,,bac