MPs threaten to shoot down 2016/17 budget over General Purpose Fund

Members of Parliament in the National Assembly have threaten to shoot down the 2016/17 national budget if the government will not give them the General Purpose Fund (GPF) loans of K5 million each payable in five years.

The parliamentarians sounded the warning when the House reconvened in Lilongwe on Monday after two weeks of cluster meetings.

The whole issue started with Opposition Peoples Party lawmaker Wakuda Kamanga who asked Minister of Finance and Economic Development Goodall Gondwe is playing a delay-darling on the loan implementation.

Kamanga said the loan is part of MPs condition of service.

The call was backed by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) lawmaker Peter Dimba, saying the MPs will do whatever they can to sabotage the budget.

But Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya brushed aside the call, citing Standing Order number 73.

Meanwhile MPs continue to add their voices on the budget statement presented in the house by Gondwe.