Govt retiring Malawians to poverty, says DPP MP Lipipa
The Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola is retiring Malawians into distress. He also appears ignorant of the fact that, once retired most people unexpectedly die due to stress as a result of failure to access their pension, DPP Member of Parliament for Blantyre City South Constituency Noel Lipipa. Lipipa made the observation on Tuesday while responding to the 2024/25 budget estimates in Parliament.
He said: “Already we do not see anywhere an allocation of K150 billion to K180 billion backlog on gratuity, and yet we have people who have been waiting for over two years to receive their pensions and gratuity most having been aziphunzitsi, nurses, apolisi, asilikali etc. akumakhala alibiletu pogwiratu even ndalama amalandila pa 14 mwezi uliwonse ija ikumatenga nthawi kuti ayambe kulandila.”
Lipipa wondered if Chithyola was aware that Hedrina Thandiwe Kamenya, anagona ku Capital Hill because of failure to pay fees due to such delays.
“Then we have situations where others in trying to avoid stress akumakalowa katapila by the time their pension and gratuity money is paid, all their money is gone, leading to more stress,” he said.
Lipipa challenged that if this budget was a people’s centred budget, why are we retiring our people into distress?
Mr Lipipa you have really spoken for the Voiceless. This shows lack of political will. Why should a retired officer wait for up to three years to get gratuity. Hence deaths due to stress