The Parliamentary Cluster on Health and HIV/AIDS has raised eyebrows on k500 million budgetary allocation to Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. 

The Cluster’s Chairperson Matthews Ngwale told Yoneco FM that being an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Society is not supposed to directly benefit from the national budget.

“It does not make sense to have Malawi Government giving money through the budget to MRCS,” Ngwale said.

“If it is helping certain people somewhere then those people should be mentioned not the MRCS because a foreign NGO cannot be given money by our government.”

However, officials from Ministry of Health failed to provide a detailed explanation on the allocation when they appeared before the Cluster at Parliament Building in Lilongwe.

Legislators are currently scrutinising the proposed 2022-2023 national budget vote by vote through cluster committees.