Legislative Extravagance

 Members of Parliament (MPs) must be among the most spoilt people in Malawi.

As at now, some of the lawmakers have bought vehicles worth K200 million and above, all courtesy of loans they get by virtue of being MPs.

The legislators also enjoy a truckload of benefits, such that one would hope that they would be satisfied.

After all, the MPs vie for votes on the pretext that they want to serve people/constituents. But the heavens know they are in for the benefits that come with being an MP.

In fact, for some people, serving as MP is a way of running away from the unemployment queues that are, each passing day, getting longer and longer in this country.

And while Malawians thought they had had enough of MPs’ shenanigans, the lawmakers have surprised us once again.

During a recent meeting, some lawmakers requested the Malawi Enterprise Development Fund to consider establishing a special loan facility for lawmakers.

The MPs in question fall under the Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs.

The lawmakers seemingly believe that the special loan facility would lessen political pressure they face in their day-to-day operations.

To say the truth, and as civil society organisations have put it, the request is unjustifiable and borders on incessant greed.

Indeed, the request borders on selfishness of the highest order. How can people who are already getting benefits and perks that most Malawians can only dream of crave more benefits, needless to say at the expense of the hungry and resource-constrained people they serve?

If a lawmaker feels that they are under pressure form constituents, why not abandon the job and look for something else to do? Noone forces MPs to be MPs. They are in Parliament on their own volition.

In addition, life in Malawi is not just about MPs; there are millions of people with more pressing needs than the MPs’ needs. As at now, millions of people are facing hunger, according to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee.

As such, these are the issues people who think logically should be talking about, instead of thinking about how to continue lining one’s pockets with cash derived from the public pulse.

Malawi needs MPs who have the interest of the nation at heart—and not people who think of issues only in relation to themselves.

That is not the Malawi we want.