Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and his cabinet have all declared their assets.
By Dickson Kashoti/Malawi Digest
President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and his 42 Ministers have declared their assets, the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) has disclosed.
Clerk of Cabinet, Clement Chinthu Phiri said in an interview yesterday (Wednesday), Dr Mutharika and the cabinet declared their assets soon after being sworn-in.
"What we did was to write them soon after they were appointed. We wrote the Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Ministers that it was a Constitutional requirement to declare assets, and all of them obliged," said Chinthu Phiri.
But he could not give details on how much Dr Mutharika and his key Ministers have declared, saying the Office of the Speaker was better placed to give details.
But Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda has always said the law does not allow him to give out the details.
Private radio station, Zodiak, has written the Speaker to press on him to release the information on the matter but the Speaker says that the law is silent.
The President, the Vice President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and senior government officials are required to declare their assets once they are appointed into the public offices for transparency and accountability.
The declaration on assets was a very hot issue under former president of Malawi Bakili Muluzi.
Despite the availability of this Constitution requirement for the President, his Deputy and his Ministers to declare their assets, Bakili Muluzi and his Ministers did not declare their assets and only did that after years in office.
It was later discovered, Muluzi and his Ministers had accumulated alot of worth within the period they were in office.
As a result of high level corruption, theft and fraud in government resources, Muluzi rose to become one of the richest Presidents in Africa as of 2004.
Some of his closest Ministers including Brown James Mpinganjira, Sam Mpasu, Clement Stambuli, George Ntafu, Cassim Chilumpha, Friday Jumbe and closest aides like Humphrey Mvula accumulated alot of unbelievable worth whose origins cannot be explained up to now.
Meanwhile, His Excellency the State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika is this morning opening an orientation workshop for members of the cabinet.
The day long workshop is taking place at the Malawi Institute of Management in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.
According to the Clerk to Cabinet Clement Chinthu Phiri, the Ministers are expected to be trained and reminded on cabinet operational procedures and many other issues related to their job.
"Issues of the National Budget, operational procedures and many others are what the ministers are going to be trained on and get reminded for those that are in the cabinet for a second term," said Phiri.
President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, made Ministerial appointments on 15th June, 2009 following his May 19th election landslide victory.
The Ministers and their Deputies were sworn in on 18th June and today's workshop is the first orientation since their appointment.
The Malawi National Assembly also did conduct an orientation workshop at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe for all Members of Parliament soon after the newly elected MPs were sworn-in. The Daily Times, Tuesday, August 27, 2009/Malawi Digest.
President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and his 42 Ministers have declared their assets, the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) has disclosed.
Clerk of Cabinet, Clement Chinthu Phiri said in an interview yesterday (Wednesday), Dr Mutharika and the cabinet declared their assets soon after being sworn-in.
"What we did was to write them soon after they were appointed. We wrote the Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Ministers that it was a Constitutional requirement to declare assets, and all of them obliged," said Chinthu Phiri.
But he could not give details on how much Dr Mutharika and his key Ministers have declared, saying the Office of the Speaker was better placed to give details.
But Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda has always said the law does not allow him to give out the details.
Private radio station, Zodiak, has written the Speaker to press on him to release the information on the matter but the Speaker says that the law is silent.
The President, the Vice President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and senior government officials are required to declare their assets once they are appointed into the public offices for transparency and accountability.
The declaration on assets was a very hot issue under former president of Malawi Bakili Muluzi.
Despite the availability of this Constitution requirement for the President, his Deputy and his Ministers to declare their assets, Bakili Muluzi and his Ministers did not declare their assets and only did that after years in office.
It was later discovered, Muluzi and his Ministers had accumulated alot of worth within the period they were in office.
As a result of high level corruption, theft and fraud in government resources, Muluzi rose to become one of the richest Presidents in Africa as of 2004.
Some of his closest Ministers including Brown James Mpinganjira, Sam Mpasu, Clement Stambuli, George Ntafu, Cassim Chilumpha, Friday Jumbe and closest aides like Humphrey Mvula accumulated alot of unbelievable worth whose origins cannot be explained up to now.
Meanwhile, His Excellency the State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika is this morning opening an orientation workshop for members of the cabinet.
The day long workshop is taking place at the Malawi Institute of Management in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.
According to the Clerk to Cabinet Clement Chinthu Phiri, the Ministers are expected to be trained and reminded on cabinet operational procedures and many other issues related to their job.
"Issues of the National Budget, operational procedures and many others are what the ministers are going to be trained on and get reminded for those that are in the cabinet for a second term," said Phiri.
President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, made Ministerial appointments on 15th June, 2009 following his May 19th election landslide victory.
The Ministers and their Deputies were sworn in on 18th June and today's workshop is the first orientation since their appointment.
The Malawi National Assembly also did conduct an orientation workshop at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe for all Members of Parliament soon after the newly elected MPs were sworn-in. The Daily Times, Tuesday, August 27, 2009/Malawi Digest.
What is the platform of your paper? Is it to compare Bingu to Muluzi or what? Bingu has also accumulated alot of worth within a short time in office. He did not even have money for campaign in 2004 but look at his now.
ReplyDeleteNyasatimes is bias but not as you thats the reason it has so many readers than this DPP on- line paper without audience
There is no proof that Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika did not have money for campaign in 2004. However, there is proof that Muluzi was bankrupt before he became president. That is the difference. Therefore, it is only fair and just to remind everybody that Muluzi became rich when he was president because he was corrupt and so was his close friends the likes of Mvula, Lemani, Patrick Mbewe, etc
ReplyDeleteAnyone in their right mind knows that Muluzi was corrupt and that he was stealing from us. So, there is no reason to beat about the bush here. He accummulated wealth because he was a thief, basi, case closed
ReplyDeleteif Bingu and his has cabinet have declared their wealth its in the nation interest to make this informatin public.If they are really democrats as you say let them come in the open why hide??
ReplyDeleteThey are not hidding but the law does not say that they should disclose.
ReplyDeleteOn the platform of this site, it's not to compare Bingu and the failed Muluzi. How do people waste their time with someone that we know he is completely finished and cannot come back into Malawi politics.
People are only stating facts. Muluzi was declared bankrupt and was saved by the former deputy local government minister and business tycoon James Makhumula who paid a K50,000 at the High Court in 1994.
Do you know that when Dumbo was dying, he had well over 100 houses in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Zomba?
I guess people are trying to build a society based on justice and fairness.But i can guarantee you this is not gona happen. why? Because Nyasatimes is pro Muluzi to those guys whatever Muluzi does whether he eat their children it dont mean nothing they will still worship him.And i have just realised this site is pro Bingu.Just as we did make Kamuzu and Bakili be who they are so shall we make Bingu.For once why cant i find a site that is neutral and fair???
ReplyDelete