Frank Kamwendo, a contender for the presidency of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM), is taking the organisation to court over its alleged use of public hospital funds to finance its forthcoming Biannual General Assembly (BGA).
Kamwendo wants the court to stop government district and central hospitals from contributing money towards the assembly, arguing that NONM should finance its activities independently.
The legal challenge comes ahead of NONM’s elections scheduled for November 27, when members are expected to elect new leaders, including the organisation’s president.
Speaking to Malawi24, Kamwendo questioned the organisation’s authority to solicit financial contributions from government hospitals, saying NONM is an independent, non-statutory organisation that should not depend on public resources to fund its activities.
He has also accused the organisation’s leadership of extravagance, alleging that it has been distributing money to district chairpersons through meetings at lodges while simultaneously asking hospital directors and district nursing officers to finance the BGA.
Kamwendo claims that some of the hospital officials being asked to contribute towards the assembly are not even paid-up NONM members, raising questions about why public institutions should shoulder the cost of an organisation’s activities.
“I wanted to contest for the presidency to improve nurses’ welfare, not to milk government hospitals. NONM must take responsibility for its own BGA instead of relying on public institutions while splashing money around like Father Christmas,” Kamwendo argues.
He further alleges that the organisation has held meetings with regional chairpersons in Karonga and Mponela, where participants received allowances, with another meeting involving Southern Region chairpersons expected to take place in Thyolo.
Kamwendo argues that it is contradictory for NONM to spend money on such meetings while seeking allowances for its members from government hospitals during the BGA in Lilongwe, at a time when government is pursuing austerity measures to contain public spending.
He says the arrangement could put additional pressure on already struggling public hospitals, which have several competing financial demands.
Kamwendo maintains that NONM should demonstrate financial independence and take responsibility for organising its own assembly rather than shifting the burden to government health facilities.
