People’s Transformation Party (Petra) president Kamuzu Chibambo has asked government “to bite more” if the austerity measures promulgated in May this year are to remain relevant.

Speaking during a press briefing yesterday Chibambo cited fuel allocations for senior public officers and public events as a well-known channel of huge expenditure.

President Lazarus Chakwera unveiled austerity measures aimed at stabilising the shaky economy that forced government to devalue the kwacha by 25 percent a few weeks earlier.

Alliance partners during a meeting with President
Chakwera in June last year

The 15 austerity measures included cutting by 20 percent fuel allowances for his Cabinet, restrictions on foreign travel and no movement of government vehicles after 6pm.

Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) followed up a few weeks later with more measures which included banning all out of duty station meetings for civil servants.

The move was seen as government’s desperate attempt to win favour with the International Monetary Fund to hand the country’s imploding economy a lifeline in the form of an Extended Credit Facility.

But the Petra leader still felt the fuel allocations were on the higher side and the austerity measures needed to be notched up.

“Unless there have been recent adjustments but as far as I am aware ministers are still drawing 2 000 litres of fuel per month, principal secretaries get 1 500 litres per month, then is it austerity indeed?

“These fuel allocations ought to be slashed to less than 750 litres per month forthwith. My expectation is that OPC [Office of the President and Cabinet] will soon ratchet the measures up.

“Some of the money saved would surely help restock our hospitals with essential drugs, build more primary school classrooms, repair broken equipment, recruit more teachers and health workers, improve wages of teachers and hospital staff, among others,” said Chibambo.

The Petra leader also pointed out that public events were draining huge resources which could be directed to other tasks.

“The Ministry of Finance has to further clamp down especially on public events. The country is currently bleeding economically so why can’t the minister responsible put a freeze on them until later when the economic situation picks?

“Cultural events or launch of this or that ought to be severely restricted unless they are privately sponsored,” suggested Chibambo.

He took a swipe at public officers flying first or business class, arguing the same ought to be reserved for the very top level.

“When the economy is in bad shape like ours, ministers and others must lead by example,” Chibambo said.

Government spokesperson Gospel Kazako did not pick up his phone while Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Gwengwe was not reachable when contacted.

However, commenting on the issue, governance and accountability advocate Willy Kambwandira said Chibambo’s suggestions were a clear sign that the Tonse Alliance has failed to walk the talk on the austerity measures.

“We have leaders who are living in their own world. But we are not surprised because the Presidency too has failed to demonstrate prudence in the use of resources. Some of these events are only meant to siphon taxpayers’ money.

“Otherwise, some of these benefits are unrealistic and a mockery to the sufferings of Malawians. Again, one can only speculate that the so called austerity measures were meant to fool Malawians,” said Kambwandira, the executive director of Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency.

On his part, UTM spokersperson Frank Mwenifumbo a key partner in the alliance said what the Petra leader said was his opinion.

“We respect their views. But again that is addressed to government and not to UTM to say they are wrong or correct,” he said.

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