Malawi Parliament summons Goodall over Lake Malawi water project

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Lake Malawi

Malawi’s Members of Parliament have summoned Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Goodall Gondwe to clarify further on the Lake Malawi Water project.

Chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga, confirmed to Malawi24 of petitioning the Minister to appear before parliament to have the project under further scrutiny.

Goodall Gondwe
Gondwe : Summoned.

“Yes, as Members of Parliament we have summoned Dr Goodall Gondwe to parliament. Our aim is to ask the minister to clarify to us on how the project of water from Lake Malawi is to be conducted. You can recall the minister said the project is under EPC-engineering, procuring and construction, so as parliament we are not convinced the reasons why they decided on this because the contractor can decide to raise the cost of the project beyond the reach of the government,” said Chidanti.

According to reliable sources from within the Ministry of Finance, government is expected to spend over US$500 million contrary to claims by LWB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alfonso Chikuni who maintained that government is yet to agree on the cost with the contractor.

Lawmakers’ demand comes few days after the owner of Khatho Civils Simbi Phiri told local media that he has been funding the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

“MCP knew me first and they came to me and I knew DPP later and I would do that for anybody for that matter because this is the spirit that I have introduced in this life,” said Simbi to Malawi24 in a telephone interview.

Meanwhile, the bankrolling of DPP and MCP has raised question in some quarters as they interpret it as a move of getting favours from those in power and then avoid checks and balances from the main opposition.

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