The committee that organised July 6 Independence Day celebrations has announced that it will release the expenditure report Friday.
On Sunday, Malawi celebrated 61 years of independence, with the main event held at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The activity was presided over by President Lazarus Chakwera and his Botswana counterpart, Duma Gideon Boko.
The announcement comes at the back of calls from National Advocacy Platform (Nap) and the Centre for Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), which were pressing the government on the issue.
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The civil society organisations demanded a speedy release of Independence Day expenditure report for Malawians appreciate how much went into the celebrations.
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Chairperson for the Interministerial Committee on Independence Day celebrations, Homeland Security Minister Ezekiel Ching’oma, said they have been consolidating reports from relevant government ministries, departments and agencies.
Ching’oma said members of the technical committee of the celebrations would be meeting Thursday to consolidate expenditures from different departments before the main committee discusses them on Friday.
Ching’oma said in preparing for the celebrations, various departments submitted budgets and that the Treasury released funds to cater for the event.
He said the main committee did not just release the funds based on the budgeted activity but that it was releasing funds based on the actual activities done.
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“We wanted to make sure that every tambala is accounted for,” he said.
He further observed that the committee got support from the private sector.
Wednesday, Nap Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe said it was crucial for the authorities to publicly disclose Independence Day spending.
According to Kondowe, transparency on public expenditure, especially for national events, is fundamental to building public trust and promoting accountability.
“Citizens have a right to know how their taxes are being used, and timely disclosure helps prevent misuse, promotes value for money, and reinforces the government’s commitment to good governance and the fight against corruption.
“Delays or silence only fuel suspicion and undermine confidence in public institutions,” Kondowe said.
On his part, CSAT Executive Director Willy Kambwandira said it was imperative for the government to commit to a comprehensive disclosure of public expenditures for the 61st Independence Day celebrations.
Kambwandira said the delayed release of expenditure reports, as seen during previous Independence Day celebrations, suggested a pattern of inadequate transparency, and may raise suspicions of mismanagement of the funds, especially in a context where government has struggled with public sector corruption and financial mismanagement.
“It is also important to underscore that the government silence on public expenditure, especially for high profile national events like Independence Day, is not just a governance flaw; it is a direct threat to transparency, accountability and citizen trust.
“In Malawi’s fragile economic and governance context, such silence must be viewed as red flags that demands immediate and firm corrective action,” Kambwandira said.
The celebrations started with national prayers on Saturday.
On Sunday, the celebrations started with a freedom march by youths from the governing Malawi Congress Party, who matched from Area 18 cenotaph to BNS.
Patrons to the celebrations received a bottle of water, a pack of Maheu and a yellow bun.
