MCP demands a ‘Malawian budget’

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Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi

The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has asked minister of finance Goodall Gondwe to go to Parliament and present a budget that reflects the current situation of the country.

Reacting after Gondwe presented 2016/17 budget on Friday, MCP spokesperson on Finance Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi said Malawi needs a budget that can help in developing the country.

Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi
Kusamba Dzonzi claims the proposed budget is not ‘Malawian’.

“What we were told was that IMF and government had these talks about this sector and we agreed to have this allocation, meaning it is the IMF that was preparing the budget not our government, I think we need to have a budget that reflect the status of the country,” said Dzonzi.

Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) has since faulted the budget for having a 15 percent pay hike to junior civil servants arguing that the workers will still fail to buy basic needs.

The workers body added that the increment is a mockery to government workers considering the sharp depreciation of the local currency against foreign currencies.

MCTU Secretary General Pontius Kalichero vowed to press government to improve civil servants’ welfare through offering of better salaries.

The K1.2 trillion Malawi Kwacha budget is expected to hike salaries of junior civil servants and slash money allocated to farm inputs subsidies.