Maravi

‘Mutharika’s purchase of Hummers is extravagant’

‘Mutharika’s purchase of Hummers is extravagant’
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday, May 17, 2009 3:04:47 PM

MALAWI'S opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) spokesperson Humphrey Mvula has described President Bingu wa Mutharika's purchase of eight luxurious Hummer vehicles for campaigns as extravagant, especially that most Malawians are poor.

In a telephone interview from Malawi, Mvula said President Wa Mutharika's government was too extravagant to use public funds to buy expensive vehicles for use during the campaigns, ignoring the problems the ordinary people were facing.

"He bought eight Hummers and two Marco polo busses. It's extravagance. That is very extravagant," charged Mvula, who is a close ally of former president Bakili Muluzi whose party recently formed a coalition with the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of main presidential candidate, John Tembo. "The government bought those Hummers and buses in March just after the campaign was inaugurated."

He said it would have been good if President Wa Mutharika had used the money on developmental projects instead of buying luxurious vehicles for his campaigns.

"The civil society, opposition political parties and everyone is concerned that he is very extravagant. The money used to buy those Hummers is equivalent to running a few secondary schools for a year," said Mvula.

Malawi is going to presidential and parliamentary elections on Tuesday.

Among the presidential candidates are President Wa Mutharika (Democratic Progressive Party), Tembo [MCP], Loveness Gondwe [New Rainbow Coalition], James Nyondo [independent], Stanley Masauli [Republican Party], Dindi Gowa Nyasulu [Alliance for Democracy] and Kamuzu Chibambo [Peoples Transformation Party].

Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 2:02 PM