Nsanje South West Member of Parliament Walter Nyamilandu Manda has questioned the K2.5 billion allocated by Nsanje District Council for the construction of Nyanjiwa Community Day Secondary School, describing the amount as excessively high.
Manda expressed concern over the construction budget set by the council’s public works department, arguing that the amount could negatively affect the implementation of other development projects in his constituency.
The legislator said he was deeply troubled by the allocation, warning that spending such a large amount on a single secondary school could limit the number of communities benefiting from development projects.
Manda emphasised that public funds come from taxpayers, many of whom are struggling financially, and therefore called for responsible and transparent management of government resources.
He argued that development projects should benefit as many people as possible, cautioning that allocating K2.5 billion to one school could leave several other essential projects unattended over the next five years.
The MP made the remarks on Saturday afternoon while presiding over the launch of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in Nsanje.
During the event, Manda also expressed surprise after being asked to officially open a toilet facility at Nsanje District Hospital, which reportedly cost K16 million to construct.
He questioned how the cost of the toilet had reached K16 million, saying he struggled to understand the justification for spending such a substantial amount on the facility.
Nsanje District Commissioner Dr Sandram Naluso, however, explained that the hospital development project involved more than the construction of two classroom blocks.
The project also included an office building, piped water facilities, toilets and a laboratory.
Regarding the K16 million toilet facility, Naluso maintained that the work carried out was consistent with the amount of money allocated to the project.
