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UDF governors in the Northern Region are bitter with the party’s decision to snatch vehicles from them on the pretext of abuse, saying they suspect sinister motives behind the move.
The governors also allege they suspect that the party was only being tough to governors in the North when their counterparts in the South and Centre were left scot-free to use the vehicles.
“It is unfair that when we in Nkhata Bay got a go ahead from the party leaders to use the vehicle for matola in order that we foot a credit accrued in rental, we are blamed for abusing the vehicle. Just imagine the situation they have put us into, when we don’t get funding from the party even for fuel,” complained deputy governor for Nkhata Bay Mavuto Kaunda.
Kaunda said former district governor for Nkhata Bay, the late Chiphala Chirwa, and his committee accrued bills worth K38,000 on office rent, and when the new committee came in, they were authorised to raise funds for the bills through matola.
“We even put a child of the owner of the vehicle to become the conductor, just to make sure that the money went back to the family. We have since managed to repay K28,000, since the other money was being used for fuel, tyres, rental and many other needs,” he said.
Kaunda said he was also bitter that the vehicles surrendered on treasurer general Khumbo Kachali’s instructions were being used by the regional committee for personal errands.
Mzuzu city district governor Gotani Mkandawire, whose vehicle was also taken, said proper consultations should have taken place before the order.
Said Mkandawire: “Of course I am not surprised that the drastic action has started with the Northern Region when our counterparts in the other regions are scot-free. It is not new that good things start with the Central and Southern regions, but when it comes to punitive actions, the tendency is it starts here in the North.”
But Kachali stressed that it was only vehicles that were being abused that were snatched.
He said: “By the way, are tobacco bales human beings to go with them to court? Ask why there were bales in that vehicle. Everyone whose vehicle was snatched should know that it was being abused, a report of vehicles being abused was floated during the NEC meeting. As treasurer general, and a constitutional custodian of party assets, I was mandated to grab the vehicles, hence the order.”
Kachali said the exercise started with a vehicle for the Thyolo governor and districts like Machinga, Mangochi and many others in the South have had their vehicles parked at his Blantyre office due to abuse.
He said in the North, the party only retrieved two vehicles in Nkhata Bay, one for Mzuzu city and another for Karonga, which was involved in a car accident after the order to grab it.
However he said he was not aware that vehicles surrendered in the North, were being abused by the regional committee, in some instances for farm work and matola.
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