By Vincent Gunde
Former DPP National Governing Council member who joined the MCP as its activist, Frederick Billy Malata, has warned the MCP that dishing out money in K50,000s and K100,000s to vendors to stop demonstrations, will only worsen the current situation.
Malata said he has learnt with shock and dismay that a certain Minister in the MCP is reported to have given money to Blantyre vendors not to hold demonstrations in the City saying if it is true, that Minister is not doing good to government and is doing more harm to his government.
He said the demonstrations by the vendors has produced fruits that the much-needed forex is now available on the market at a reduced price meaning that some people were deliberately holding it for their own intention other than that of government.
Speaking through an audio clip, Billy Malata has accused the Minister on record of dishing out money to vendors that he is hiding justice saying vendors once given the money they will not stop holding demonstrations, they will just eat the money and continue with their planned demonstrations.
Malata said vendors just like all the concerned Malawians, they are fighting for prices of essential commodities to be reduced as before expressing his concern that he was wondering why commercial banks did not have forex in stock only at the black market.
He said the only way to stop demonstrations by vendors is to engage relevant stakeholders to tell the vendors what government is doing to address the forex crisis and skyrocketing prices of essential goods that sugar goes back to its original price of K2,600, Rand at K60 and US Dollar at K1,750.
The activist has advised the MCP that stakeholders will tell the vendors through their associations to stop the demonstrations warning the party that dishing out money to the vendors to share won’t solve the current situation the country is passing through.
He has further warned the MCP that if vendors themselves carry out investigations to establish the identity of that Minister behind dishing out millions of Kwachas to the vendors, vendors will unite in anger to hold endless demonstrations across the country and this will destroy the good image of the MCP.
“Once the vendors themselves identify the minister responsible for dishing out the money, the situation in the country will become worse and this must be avoided,” said Malata.
He has appealed to the newly appointed Minister of Trade Vitumbiko Mumba to start engaging relevant authorities such as motor vehicle spare parts, Medicals, Herbals, and vendors’ associations on how best forex can be found on the market and addressing skyrocketing prices of essential goods in an as soon as yesterday.
He has finally warned the MCP that as the writings are on the wall, vendors and Malawians will stop taking themselves to the streets if they see sugar comes back to c its original price of K2,600 and failing which, the MCP government must bless itself for more demonstration
