People’s Party candidates deny donating ‘Mponela beds’

People’s Party (PP) candidates in the Mzimba by-elections have denied donating beds to health centres in their respective constituencies.

It was rife the whole of last week that the candidates – Aram Beza for Mzimba Central and Raymond Nkhata of Mzimba South West – presented the beds as a donation from them when the beds belonged to the ministry.

But quizzed on the issue, both Beza and Nkhata denied the reports with Nkhata saying he has no information on the beds said to have been moved to his constituency.

“People reported that there was a shortage of beds at Euthini Health Centre and asked me as a candidate if I would assist in any way. They also asked me as a candidate if I would buy prepaid electricity units for the health centre,” said Beza.

“The problem of shortage of beds was also aired out during a rally addressed in the constituency by the Vice President and Minister of Health Khumbo Kachali. When I went to present the airtime I found a vehicle offloading the beds and although I was not the one who brought them people chanted my name. I was personally happy, nevertheless, because a problem in my constituency had been solved.”

A number of quarters rallied calls for Kachali to resign as Minister of health accusing him of abusing his office by apparently sanctioning movement of the beds to Mzimba which is also his home district.

The ministry of health said in a statement that movement of equipment between health facilities was a routine procedure.