Democratic Progressive Party Members of Parliament paid extra
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) are receiving extra allowances on a daily basis ranging from K20, 000 to K40, 000 on top of the normal Parliament subsistence and sitting allowances, The Daily Times can reveal.
MPs are entitled to a sitting allowance of K15, 000 and K45,000 as subsistence allowance, which totals K60, 000 a day.
But, on top of the K60, 000, DPP parliamentarians are getting extra money, raising eyebrows among some quarters who are questioning why they are getting the extra allowance and where the money is coming from.
DPP Leader of the House, Kondwani Nankhumwa, Wednesday referred the The Daily Times to the party’s Chief Whip in the House, Henry Mussa.
“Ask the Chief Whip first,” Nankhumwa said. “People can mention my name,” he said, “but ask the Chief Whip”, he added when the reporter pressed him for answers and told him that it was his name that was being mentioned by our sources.
He, however, did not deny that DPP legislators are getting extra allowances.
The DPP is on a spending spree, reportedly offering Malawi Congress Party and People’s Party legislators money in what many believe are efforts to garner more support and amass a two thirds majority to defeat the contentious Electoral Reforms Amendment Bills when tabled in the current meeting of Parliament.
Mussa reacted angrily when he was asked about the extra allowances DPP MPs have been getting.
“You are forgetting that we are sitting there as political parties where every party has its own issues…Go and ask the person who was telling you,” Mussa said when asked.
A few DPP MPs confirmed receiving extra allowances but argued they are from the party’s coffers.
The MPs said that they are getting an extra K20,000 on Mondays and Wednesdays whereas, on important days such as Tuesday— when Parliament takes the whole day— and Thursday’s private members day— when the opposition can introduce any business for passing— and the government’s business day on Friday, the DPP legislators get an extra K40, 000 per day.
“We are not receiving K40, 000. It is K20, 000 but this week we have not received anything. But last week, the Leader of the House gave us K20, 000 each,” said the DPP MPs who asked for anonymity.
Another DPP MP confirmed that the money is being handed to them by the Leader of the House and wondered why it has become an issue.
Commenting on the development, political commentator Ernest Thindwa said there is need to find out where the extra money is coming from.
“Parliament has laid down procedures. It does not matter whether the MP belongs to the opposition, [is] independent or the ruling party, the pay is the same. So, if it is true DPP MPs are getting extra money, maybe what we need to find out is where this money is coming from.
“If this extra money is public money then there is need for an investigation; otherwise, if the extra money is party money, then there is no problem,” he said
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