Activists have all ganged up in calling on the Malawi parliament not to accept a whooping 170 percent pay rise that commissioners at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) are demanding.
This follows a proposal the commissioners submitted, to have a 170 percent hike on their pay as reported by the Weekend Nation newspaper .
The commissioners are demanding the hefty pay rise despite giving Malawians a raw deal during the commission a disputed poll last year.
MEC is also embroiled in multi-million misappropriation of public funds.
MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa confirmed the proposal.
He said the proposal has come a year after the commissioners perks were last adjusted and the forms are contained in the last months’ communication from the commissioners to PAC which determines the commissioner’s pecks.
Executive director for Justice Link Justice Dzonzi was shocked as to why the commissioners would make such a proposal after President Peter Mutharika publicly said the country is broke.
“This is not the time to adjust salaries it will be careless for PAC to approve the adjustments without a critical look at the country’s resource envelope,” said Dzonzi.
The proposal is pushing for a K1.5 million jump in the chairman’s take-home from K2.4 million which represents a 150 percent hike.
The commissioners wants K1.9 million from K730 500 representing an increment of 170 percent. The commissioners are also proposing a house allowance increment for the chairperson from K200 thousand to K750 thousand and for the commissioners from K160 thousand from to K600 000.
However Blessings Chinsinga, a Chancellor College political scientist has described the proposals as unreasonable and obscene especially this time the country’s economy is facing hardships.
“The proposals are out of tune,” Chinsinga told the Weekend Nation.
MEC currently has 10 commissioners including the chairman who were appointed by former president Joyce Banda in the year 2012.
Get them off. No headache.
Zitsilu za anthu. Akugwira ntchito yanji kuti awonjezeledwe malipilo chonchi. Mavuto tikukumana nawo pano a Malawi ndichifukwa cha mec commissioners, kumuthandiza pitala kubela mavoti. Useless people
Its not wrong what they are doing.it is what the president promised them.remember the commissionners were promised three things.this is second on the list.read my comment and you will agree with me.this proposal will one day pass.
Tell them to go to private sector
zimenezi ndiye chambacho boma lilibe ndalama inu mukupanga zopusa bwanji?
Rtyuigfhghmgfhghjghjhjhjghjhrtyutghhtyhghghjghtryuighyhrtyughg zimenezi ndiye chambacho boma lilibe ndalama inu mukupanga zopusa bwanji?
Are they serious. Didn’t they hear that nurses employment contracts were withdrawn because the govt. has no $. IMF has just advised boma to cut the wage bill. May be we have commissioners who are babies or simply have chicken heads.
RIDICULOUS.
Chamba eti, we sink or float together
Boma lilibe ndalama, ndalama zikadzapezeka tidzawaganizila full stop.
ZOCHITIKA KU MALAWI ZIKUNGOKHALA NGATI DZIKO LAKE AKUYENDETSA NDI ANA OTI KU SUKULU SANAPITEKO EVERYDAY ITS WORSE STORIES COMING UP I CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY
Ndalama. sanawerEngere zija sizinawakwane ? A Malawi dyera
Ntchito yake yothandizira kubera chisankhoyo ??
Hmmmmmm, koma
Zopusa basi zomwe akufunazo
anthu adyera
What type of qualifications does these commissioners have to warrant such bizzare increment. I am a masters degree holder but still getting less that K200000 per month. Isn’t this not a stupid proposal? Being an obedient civil servant, I know the situation the govt is going thru and commissioners shld also be mindful of the financial mismanagement it is currently failing to address.