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Controversy over Muluzi’s donations
By
Jack McBrams - 22-01-2003 |
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Controversy surrounds a total K8 million that President Bakili Muluzi donated to four art associations during an audience with him at Sanjika Palace.
In September last year, Muluzi donated K2 million each to the Musicians Association of Malawi, Theatre Association of Malawi, Visual Arts Association of Malawi and the Malawi Writers Union.
During the audience with Muluzi, presidents of the associations explained that their associations had problems with communication and mobility because they did not have permanent secretariats and vehicles.
However, some members of the associations, who all opted for anonymity, charged that three months down the lane, the money has not been put to prudent use.
A member of the Theatre Association of Malawi charged that the association’s executive have organised workshops that would benefit only a small proportion of the theatre fraternity.
“When president Muluzi gave us the K2 million, he meant it to be for all dramatists in Malawi but honestly, how can a dramatist in Nsanje or Chitipa benefit from a workshop held in Zomba,” the disgruntled dramatist queried.
He further claimed that the executive have been giving themselves hefty allowances during these workshops.
Further, different members of the of the Malawi Writers Union (Mawu) and Musicians Association of Malawi charged that there was no transparency and accountability how the K2 million was being used.
Contacted for comment Culture Minister Moses Dossi said each individual association shall be held accountable for the money it received.
“Their books will be subject to audit by government auditors because these are public funds. Anytime government auditors want to go and audit their accounts, they will go ahead and do so,” Dossi said.
Dossi, whilst explaining that he has not heard of any complaints of misuse of the funds by any associations, said there where no attachments on how the money should be spent.
“Money was given to each association and they will use it as they will because previously, the artists where complaining that government was not assisting them appropriately,” he said.
A seemingly irked Malawi Theatre Association president Gertrude Kamkwatira charged that the people who accused her association of not being accountable and transparent.
“Have they come to ask for the accounts? Nobody has come to ask for any accounts from me. We are not hiding what we are doing. And I would want to believe that the people who are accusing us have not even been to our offices to see the progress we have made,” she charged.
Adding:
“If they are saying that in good faith, they should come and ask for the accounts. I feel the accusations have been said out of malice, ignorance and jealous. Some people were born not to appreciate but to criticise,” she said, adding that the donation has brought about a lot of jealousy and hatred within her association.
“Some people are even threatening to kill me,” she claimed, adding that such actions hinder the progress of theatre in Malawi.
“This is why theatre will not progress in Malawi, there is so much of the ‘pull them down syndrome’. Hate and jealous cannot bring about progress,” she said.
The highly charged up Kamkwatira remarked that artists per se have a dislike for organised society.
“Artists don’t like organisation. But I as a person who has worked in an organisation and also work in a very organised theatre company wouldn’t want us to work like a briefcase organisation,” she said.
Kamkwatira remarked that it is the dramatists themselves that benefit from the computers and phones purchased with the donation.
“What more do they want?” she queried. “If they wish they can call for elections and elect new office bearers. It is not proper to be making all this noise instead of concentrating on uplifting drama.”
On his part Musicians Association of Malawi president Dave Mafuleka said the association has not received any complaints from any quarters on the State President’s donation.
“As an association we haven’t had any complaints so I wonder that they complain to whom and for what. They haven’t made inquiries. They should ask and if they are not satisfied then they should go on and complain,” he said.
Mafuleka explained that the main priority of his association was the setting up of the secretariat.
“After that, we want to proceed with a project that will benefit all musicians and not just certain individuals. Musicians should feel free to approach the secretariat and be assisted accordingly,” he explained.
Mawu president Sambalikagwa Mvona claimed all members of his association were briefed on how the money was used at an extraordinary annual general meeting which was recently convened.
“We told them how we used the money, that we bought two cars and the rest is in a fixed account. If people came to the general assembly then they should have known how the money was used,” explained Mvona. |
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