By Mercy Matonga:
Opposition political events within the nation have urged the federal government to enhance its fiscal and financial insurance policies to resolve the fuel issues currently facing the nation.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), People’s Party (PP) and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) have all emphasised the necessity for enhanced fiscal and financial insurance policies.
DPP secretary basic (SG) Peter Mukhito claimed that the gasoline challenges are largely a consequence of the federal government’s personal financial indiscipline.
“Implement strict fiscal policies to stabilise the currency, which should include reducing domestic borrowing to avoid crowding out the private sector and further straining financial markets.
“Promote investment in renewable energy and diversify energy sources to minimise reliance on imported fuel. This could be achieved by offering incentives for the development of solar, wind and other renewable technologies,” Mukhito stated in a message to the federal government.
He added that rising transparency and accountability within the gasoline importation sector would assist forestall corruption, which allegedly contributes to produce shortages.
For his half, PP SG Ben Chakhame stated the present state of affairs is because of an absence of efficient planning or a failure to stick to present plans.
Chakhame insisted that the federal government ought to put aside its delight and search knowledge and steering on the way to handle nationwide affairs for the betterment of Malawians, particularly the poor.
“Treasury management is key for the smooth operation of any institution, including government. No single person should deceive themselves into thinking that we can have foreign exchange in this country, as we faced a similar situation from 2010 to 2011, which was even worse.
“However, during the PP regime, we managed to reverse the situation within 100 days and it became a thing of the past,” Chakhame stated.
Aford, via its spokesperson Saulos Thindwa, claimed it has key pillars—meals, fertiliser, international alternate and gasoline—that, if applied, couldn’t solely resolve the gasoline disaster but in addition enhance the nation’s economic system.
“The 4Fs formula promotes the sustainability of food production and security, resulting in bumper yields that will ensure adequate food availability at the household level, with surplus sold outside the country.
“The surplus sales will generate sufficient foreign exchange, which will be used to purchase adequate fuel, with some retained in our reserves,” Thindwa stated.
In response to the ideas, authorities spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu insisted that the boldness reportedly expressed by Malawi’s main cooperating and donor companions, such because the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Union, “best describes the monetary management systems of this government”.
“There has never been a permanent solution to the fuel situation in the country. That is why, despite all the efforts made by the late Bingu wa Mutharika, he still suffered from fuel scarcity. If we learn only from temporary solutions, then we are simply reiterating what we already know.
“We must, as a country, support the strategies of this government that are enabling us to endure the pain of our problems while we build permanent solutions, rather than relying on the cosmetic solutions we have had for the past two decades,” Kunkuyu stated.
Since not less than mid-2022, Malawi has confronted sporadic gasoline shortages.
According to the federal government, these disruptions are usually attributed to delays in oil imports on account of restricted international forex and logistical inefficiencies in transportation.
In a latest contribution to discussions by Times Television on the gasoline disaster, former president Joyce Banda, who managed to deal with the issue throughout her tenure, stated she used her networks and people of her ministers to deal with the difficulty.
“I had my own networks and that worked to our advantage. That is why within 100 days, we managed to address the fuel problem.
“When you have a problem, you reach out to your networks and they help. They helped us with fuel,” Banda stated.
Meanwhile, throughout final week’s press convention on the gasoline state of affairs, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority Chief Executive Officer Henry Kachaje fell in need of offering a transparent timeline and cutoff level for the disaster.
