Despite State House on Monday saying it did not expect the cost for Independence Day celebrations to exceed K70 million, Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda has revealed that K87 million was spent on the celebrations.
Chimwendo, who was chairperson of the celebrations, said this at a press conference in Lilongwe today.
He noted that K243 million was initially budgeted for the celebrations but after events in three cities were cancelled, K87 million was used.
He added that the K156 million which was not used for the celebrations will be returned to Account Number One.
On reports that K238 million for the celebrations was sent into the account of Secretary for President and Cabinet Zangazanga Chikhosi, Chimwendo Banda said the money was not transferred into a personal account but into the account of Office of the President and Cabinet (Secretary for President and Cabinet) Operations.
However, the K87 million figure presented by Chimwendo exceeds State House’s expectations on the expenses used for the celebrations.
On Monday, Presidential Press Secretary Brian Banda told the media that while the budget was K50 million, State House did not expect the actual cost to be over K70 million.
Banda argued that the additional cost was only for expenses which were already made before celebrations in Mzuzu, Blantyre and Zomba were cancelled.
The July 6 celebrations were held in Lilongwe and the main activity was National Service of Worship at Bingu International Conference Centre. Organizers also bought a cloth and made decorations on roads which President Lazarus Chakwera described as ugly.
