By Timothy Peter

Malawi Network of Elderly Persons Organizations (MANEPO) has expressed concern over government’s silence on the roll out of the universal pension scheme for the elderly in order to address their social and economic challenges.

MANEPO Executive Director Andrew Kavala said for the past three years the central government did not allocate funds in the national budgets for the roll out of the elderly scheme.

“When Tonse Alliance got into government, we immediately engaged the responsible ministry on that pledge so that some work could start. But three years down the line, government has not allocated anything in the budgets, I don’t know why?”

Kavala said majority of older persons in the country are living in abject poverty hence the need for the swift roll out of the elderly pension scheme.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Community Development Fred Simwaka attributed the delay in the implementation of the scheme to financial challenges.

Simwaka expressed optimism that funds for the implementation of the elderly pension scheme will be included in the next national budget.

According to the 2018 Population and Housing Census, Malawi has 908, 508 older citizens.