Kapito faults APM on ‘Buy Malawi’ campaign: ‘Establish  Consumer Protection Council’

Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) Executive Director John Kapito has advised President Arthur Peter Muntharika  to institute a Consumer Protection Council or else the 'Buy Malawi Strategy' (BMS) will flop. [caption id="attachment_107857" align="alignright" width="347"] President Mutharika on Malawi day, Friday wearing local fashion[/caption] [caption id="attachment_107856" align="alignright" width="544"] Temwa Msiska of Kaso during the ‘Buy Malawi’ market event[/caption] Kapito was speaking inside Zodiak radio's Tuzeni Zoona talk show on Sunday 17th April, 2016. In his opening remarks, Kapito described the ‘Buy Malawi’ Strategy as a good initiative but faulted President Mutharika and the Ministry of Trade for failing to tell Malawian's real facts that will attract Malawians to buy their home made products. "They have failed to tell the consumers what benefit they will get in buying Malawian products" said Kapito. "What the President and the Ministry of Trade have also failed is to launch a Consumer Protection Council. We need to have a council that will be monitoring the prices of goods hand in hand with the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS)," said Kapito. He further urged the government to borrow a leaf from former President  Bakili Muluzi who upon introducing a ‘Buy Malawi’ campaign in 2003, he established a Price Monitoring Committee and a Consumer Protection Law. He said this was aimed at controlling the prices of the commodities and to ensure Malawians were producing quality products. "Muluzi was good maybe because he was a business man," Kapito recalled in a jokingly tone. The Cama Executive Director said if the government will not take the advice, the whole campaign will not achieve the intended purpose as consumers will not be able to buy Malawian made products due to high pricing as it is the case now. He cited an example of Malawian Airlines which he said it started its operations by offering lower prices to its customers comparing to other airlines like South African Airways and others who later reduced their prices. President Mutharika launched the Buy Malawi Strategy last month said with an aim of resurrecting the spirit of national pride, dignity and self esteem. He further said the initiative will help in stimulating production in the country as well as promoting industrialization in the process creating jobs and wealth in to Malawians. Mutharika therefore declared 18th March every year as a day Malawians should use everything produced in Malawi. "I declare that 18th March every year will be Malawi day. On this day, Malawian's shall wear, eat and use Malawian products. During this day, Malawians shall celebrate our uniqueness and send a message to the whole world that we are Malawians," said Mutharika. Meanwhile, Malawians still find it difficult to buy Malawian made products like clothes because they are expensive comparing to imported products.