Two opposition MPs obtains injunction against govt over the sale of farm machinery

The High Court in Lilongwe has granted an injunction two Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parliamentarians restraining the Malawi government from selling farm machinery it bought using a K76.6 billion it obtained from a bank in India.

The two are Juliana Lunguzi, Member of Parliament for Dedza East and Peter Chakwantha of Lilongwe South West constituency.

In the application, the two argues that reason given by the government to sell off the farm machinery is baseless.

“The loan was obtained from Import Bank of India for OVOP project but the government now says the machinery is not ideal for small scale farmers hence the need to sell them off.

“These people are lying. Before a loan is obtained, experts were supposed to make a feasibility study on the need for such machinery. They were convinced that the machinery was right for smallholder farmers through OVOP,” said Lunguzi.

The development comes barely a month after it was also revealed that the government of Malawi sold 177 tractors meant for greenbelt initiative to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials at a lower price.

This was revealed by Rumphi East (MP) Kamlepo Kalua and government admitted that the tractors were sold.