Activist Mhone accuses Malawi gov’t of smear campaign: ‘We are not going to be distracted’
Board Chairperson of Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (Congoma), Voice Mhone has accused government of embarking on propaganda campaign against him and other activist but has since vowed that “we are not going to relent or be distracted”.
Last Thursday, the newly appointed Director of Information in the ministry of information, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi accused Mhone of hypocrisy citing his prosecution some eight years ago in a case of embezzlement of public resources.
During a public debate on Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation (ZBS) on the current looting of public resources, Mtumodzi cited Mhone’s involvement in some questionable deals in the 1990s through his Voma Investments as a sign of how long the problem of looting public confers has been in government.
Voma belonged to Mhone and his wife, according to Mtumodzi, who also indicated that the Mhone was acquitted by the court.
According to The Daily Times, although Mtumodzi is a government official, Mhone said he was peddling the “distorted facts” on behalf of the ruling People’s Party.
“Yes, there were issues that landed me into conflict of interest and I was implicated way back in the mid 1990s as is being drummed up by the People’s Party top functionaries, of course with distorted facts. I went through the whole legal process, I was acquitted and I was finally re-instated but I opted not to go back into civil service,” said Mhone.
Mhone told the paper that he will not relent in making sure that those involved in the current looting of public funds are brought to book.
He said having gone through the legal process himself; it gives them sitting at the helm of the NGO community an impetus to ensure that all current cash-gate culprits are brought to book.
“We are not going to relent or be distracted but will press on. So let the People’s Party leadership get over it and move our nation forward not backwards.
Reacting to claims that it is on a smear campaign against Mhone, PP Publicity Secretary Hophmally Makande distanced the party from the allegations, saying the party has no role in Mtumodzi’s allegations.
“That’s not the party’s position and we don’t want to be dragged into that. The one who said that is a government official. How does PP come in?” queried Makande.
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