Malawi NGOs Protest UN's Slashed Daily Allowance Rates Amid Soaring Inflation
The organization has also appealed to the Malawian government and the Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter.
LILONGWE, Malawi—A coalition of Malawian civil society organisations has launched a formal protest against the United Nations' recent decision to cut daily subsistence allowances by one-third, arguing the reduction ignores the country's 32.5% inflation rate and rising costs of basic necessities, writes Winston Mwale.
In a strongly worded letter to the UN Resident Coordinator, the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) challenged the December 2024 decision to reduce the daily subsistence allowance from K90,000 to K60,000, while also cutting meal allowances to K8,000 for lunch and K9,500 for dinner.
"This reduction comes at a time when Malawi faces significant economic challenges," wrote NAP Chairperson Benedict Kondowe, pointing to data from the National Statistical Office showing inflation has "severely eroded the purchasing power of the Malawi Kwacha."
The timing of the UN's rate reduction appears particularly contentious, coming just six months after the Malawian government moved in the opposite direction.
In June 2024, government officials raised their daily allowance rates to between K60,000 and K120,000, citing escalating living costs.
A survey conducted by NAP found that standard accommodation in urban areas costs a minimum of K80,000 per night, while a basic meal with a drink ranges from K25,000 to K40,000 in cities.
The new UN rates fall significantly short of covering these actual expenses.
The civil society groups also raised concerns about equity, suggesting the reduced rates could discriminate against local participants.
"It is highly unlikely that foreign nationals engaging in similar activities would be subjected to such impractical rates," the letter stated.
NAP has called for an urgent review of the decision and requested access to any market research used to justify the rate reduction.
The organization has also appealed to the Malawian government and the Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter.
The UN office in Lilongwe has not yet responded to the letter.
The rate changes affect all development partner-funded activities in Malawi, potentially impacting hundreds of local civil society workers and program participants across the country.