Patricia Kaliati, Charles Mchacha attack Kamlepo Kalua, Joyce Banda
Information Minister, Patricia Kaliati and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha, on Thursday took advantage of the launch of the construction of Thyolo- Makwasa-Thekerani-Muona- Bangula Road by President Peter Mutharika to castigate Rumphi Eas t Member of Parliament, Kamlepo Kalua, over his strong opposition to Mutharika.
Kalua has attracted DPP wrath for asking Mutharika to make public names of seven Cabinet ministers allegedly implicated in the plunder of public funds amounting to K236 billion as indicated in a recent report released by the office of the Auditor General.
But speaking at Mtambanyama School ground in Thyolo Thava Constituency, Kaliati said it is annoying that people like Kalua are busy troubling Mutharika instead of appreciating development projects that his government is initiating across the country.
“He [Kamlepo] failed to do anything that can help Malawi, so he thought of coming to Parliament to be making noise and we employed him to oppose government that is the only thing he can do in the country. Although we have tried to develop his area by constructing roads in the North, he does not appreciate and instead of being answerable to the village banks in Chitawira Blantyre where he has a debt for his house in Chileka, he is busy telling lies against government.
“We are glad that you invited him to bring you names of the ministers he is claiming to be involved in the plunder of public funds but since he can’t bring you [President] the names, let him give the names to Home Affairs Minister, Jappie Mhango, so that he can make the names public,” Kaliati said.
She also went on to mention former president, Joyce Banda, who is outside the country, to come back home and appreciate what she termed as ‘development’ being undertaken by Mutharika’s administration in his two-year rule.
“When she took over government after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika, she was claiming that she found no money in the coffers, yet we all heard that she and her government stole the tax-payers money in the infamous Cashgate. It was us who found no money in government after we put to an end her two-year rule but we are able to run the country even without donor funds, so she should come back and see what we are doing,” she said
Speaking earlier, DPP Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha, asked Mutharika to allow the party youth to have the responsibility of responding to his [Mutharika] critics.
“I am a member of the Public Accounts Committee. There are no names of Cabinet ministers that Kamlepo is claiming. I must say that as a party, we have the right to take him to court for insulting you,” he said
However, in his address Mutharika made no comment on sentiments uttered by Mchacha and Kaliati.
Instead he focused on development plans that claimed to have lined up.
“People have been saying a lot about this programme, they are just selfish because they are living in mansions but they don’t want us to construct simple decent houses for poor people. I will not stop this and in case they will bring a bill in Parliament against this programme, I will veto it,” he said.
The Thyolo-Makwas a – Thekerani-Muona-Bangula Road is 83 kilometres long and will cost government K27.32 billion according to Transport Minister, Malison Ndau.
The construction of the road by Motal-Engil is been funded by Opec Fund, Badia Fund and the government among others.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
