Uni students want budget passed soon than later

University of Malawi Students Union (UMSU) says the delays in passing the 2007-2008 budget will affect them and has urged the parliamentarians to prioritize passing the budget when National Assembly sits.

Umsu made the remarks in a statement made available to Nyasa Times, signed by; its president Titus Divala, president of Students Union of Chancellor College (Succ) Khumbo Soko, president of Bunda College Students Union (BSU) James Kumwenda, president of Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) Patience Thombozi and Wanangwa Chisenga president of College of Medicine Students Union (COMSU).

“The University of Malawi, being a public university gets its budgetary support from the government. It is trite that this budgetary support can not be had unless and until the Appropriation Act, authorizing the government to spend has been discussed and passed by parliament,” read a statement from Umsu.

The students unions say the delay in passing the budget will also mean that students from some constituent colleges of the university, such as Bunda College, which are scheduled to open in August, will not be able to access the government loans for their tuition and stationery requirements.

“This in our considered view will amount to a violation of the students’ right to education since it is commonplace that most students in the university can not afford to pay the tuition fees on their own,” a statement further read.

UMSU pointed out that the delay in passing the budget and the resultant failure by colleges to open in time will also affect some final year students who have already secured opportunities and sponsorship for post graduate studies and that it will also affect research projects.

National Assembly was indefinitely suspended due to disagreements between opposition and government lawmakers over issues of Section 65 which Supreme Court ruled that it is valid, giving powers to the Speaker to axe MPs who ditch parties.

The opposition demanded Section 65 action from speaker before deliberating the budget.

However, the University students’ body says the budget should be prioritized and dealt with first as opposed to Section 65.

“Consequential upon the foregoing, we the students of the University of Malawi wish to respectfully request and urge our MPs to put the interest of Malawians at the fore front and to exhibit goodwill by discussing and passing the budget before tackling the issues of section 65,” the students appealed.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parliamentary affairs spokesperson, Ishmael Chafukila said the party is keen to critique and approve the budget without delay.

“MCP is keen in passing the budget as soon as today, but only legitimate MP’S should deliberate the budget, we do not want strangers in the House,” said Chafukila.

United Democratic Front (UDF) leader in parliament, Dr George Ntafu said his party shares the concerns of the University students.

He said the National Budget is important because it contains detailed financial allocations that would ensure continued socio-economic development and strategies that enhance poverty reduction.

But he blamed government for putting spanners in the wheels of constitutional democratic process and that UDF was aware of the various “political machinations” that include mere propaganda by ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) functionaries aimed at discrediting the opposition; by carelessly and callously linking the National Budget to matters of Section 65 and impeachment.

“It is cheap and totally false propaganda for the Executive to mislead and misinform Malawians that the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi should be held hostage to the National Budget and thereby incite ordinary Malawians into falsely believing that their economic welfare is at stake,” said Ntafu.

“Thursdays are Private Members Days in the House and the Right Honorable Speaker can dispose all cases of Section 65 without endangering the progress of the Budget,” he said.