Malawians expect ‘vital information’ from Mphwiyo – PAC
Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) who are interviewing prominent people suspected to have played a hand on the cashgate scandal have said they are pinning their hopes to get vital information on the issue during the interview with Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo scheduled for Monday.
Speaking during the Tiuzeni Zoona Program on the privately owned Zodiak Broadcasting Station, PAC’s member from the opposition Democratic Progress Party, Henry Mussa said the committee is still very far from finding the truth about the scandal since most of the information gathered is only revolving around the Integrated Financial Managing Information System (IFMIS).
Mussa said Malawians should this around time expect to hear some truths on the matter from Mphwiyo himself because it would be unreasonable for him “who knows that his life was at risk” to hide any information regarding his shooting.
“It’s unfortunate that some people are not coming out with concrete truth on the scandal. All the information gathered are revolving around IFMIS but IFMIS is operated by people. That’s why we have recommended to the government to establish the commission of the enquiry into the cashgate. The issue should be taken away from the task force headed by [Nelson] Bophani,” he said.
Another PAC member from the opposition United Democratic Front, Clement Chiwaya said Mphwiyo should take himself as a very fortunate man to tell Malawians about the attempt on his life.
“It will be unfortunate if he will opt to refuse answering some questions from us. But in other countries PAC has powers to apprehend the interviewee who refuses to give out information unfortunately this is not the case with here in Malawi,” he said.
Spokesperson for the opposition Malawi Congress Party Jessie Kabwila said the party expects nothing but the truth to come out and all the money stolen from government coffers be returned to the Malawians.
“We also want to know the owners of what are known as ‘Cashgate buses,” he said.
A ruling party’s official Henry Phoya also said during the program that the government is also looking forward that all those involved in the scandal which he said is tantamount to killing, are brought to book.
