Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Malunga Phiri launched a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition Simplex Chithyola Banda, accusing him of presiding over “a lot of plunder” during his tenure as Minister of Finance.
The confrontation followed Banda’s criticism of the State of the Nation Address delivered on February 13 by President Arthur Peter Mutharika, which he described as brief and lacking substance on pressing national concerns.
Responding in Parliament, Banda said Malawians had expected a comprehensive address tackling the rising cost of living, soaring fuel prices from about K3,000 to nearly K5,000 per litre, punitive taxation, youth unemployment, and growing insecurity, including abductions.
He also questioned the government’s projected economic growth of 3.8 percent this year and 4.9 percent in 2027, arguing that anticipated declines of at least 30 percent in maize and tobacco production could undermine the targets.
According to Banda, the address failed to sufficiently outline fiscal policy direction, public debt levels, revenue collection trends, and concrete measures to shield citizens from economic shocks.
But in a forceful rebuttal, Phiri reminded the House that Banda recently served as Finance Minister and was, in his words, at the helm during financial mismanagement that contributed to current economic challenges.
Phiri said it was not for the opposition to transfer its “incompetence” to the President, maintaining that the State of the Nation Address is meant to provide policy direction rather than recycle what he characterized as politically motivated criticism.
