MP Jooma implicated in MonkeyBay  fracas over  Motal Engil hotel

In a sharp twist of events in the MonkeyBay fracas that cost two lives, six arrested suspects who set alight a chief’s house and smashed a car belonging to Traditional Athourity Nankumba have alleged that Member of Parliament for Mangochi Monkey Bay Ralph Jooma was  the one hehind the whole fiasco.

Jooma:  Could not comment
Jooma: Could not comment
An artist's impression of what the new hotel will look like.
An artist’s impression of what the new hotel will look like.

The suspects currently,  in police custody have collaborated that the ex-economic planning minister unilaterally wrote a letter against the coming investment of the 5 star hotel by  conglomerate Mota Engil and Malawi Government in form of Private Public Partnership (PPP).

Bwana Jooma analemba kalatayo okha onani chizungu chakecho …..(Hon Jooma wrote and signed the letter on his own without. Look at the language used. No chiefs signed it,” said one suspect when he was being taken a caution statement.

Quizzed on where he (Jooma) got the signatures of all top chiefs in the area, another suspect said it was a photocopy of an earlier attendance list where chiefs attended an area development meeting.

“I took it and photocopied at a business centre (name withheld) ….we took the last signed part,  attached it to the letter that he wrote. We made copies and sent some to all copied offices including Mota Engil,” said the other.

Asked what was the motive by the MP to act this way when just four years ago he was one of the touters for the project, the other suspect said, the MP was feeling sidelined after being not invited to a consultative meeting where Minister of Information,  Tourism and Culture, Kondwani Nankhumwa, ministry officials,  district commissioner, chiefs, counsellors were present.

One source also collaborated the story of the suspects by indicating that the day of the fracas, TA Nankumba had called for the meeting to refute having written the letter let alone signing it.

The source said one of the members in the meeting suggested that the forged signatures and the letter be made a police case.

At this point one young man  who was in the meeting left and went to make a call to other members of the anti-hotel investment group who stormed the meeting hall and started to smash windows of the hall and cars.

“Several of them smashed the windscreen of a vehicle belonging to Malawi Defence Force Navy department and in no time a contingent of army officers arrived. It was wild, people run in all direction,” said another source.

Police officials were overpowered, the army maintained the calmness according to onlookers.

Jooma was not available to comment on the matter.

Mota Engil released a statement indicating that it was shocked to learn of the developments in MonkeyBay.

“Mota Engil has learnt with deepest shock and dismay the incident that happened in Monkey Bay where in partnership with Malawi Government as form of Public Private Partnership (PPP) intends to construct a first world tourist attraction comprising a Five Star Hotel and an 18-Hole golf course,” said the statement made available to Nyasa Times.

“We can confidently state here that no Mota Engil official nor any staff was aware of or let alone present during the meeting or meetings we now learnt, were called by traditional chiefs to brief their people on the impending project. Apart from reading through the online media, we have not been officially briefed by our partners in this investment who is the Government of Malawi through the relevant ministries on what exactly happened.”

“We are shocked and saddened at the manner how the name of our company is being meddled into this fracas in MonkeyBay when the residents of the said areas know whom to contact if they had any discontentment,” said statement.

With the extent of what has happened in the area where investment would have put Malawi on world map as most preferred tourist destination,  Mota Engil says it will come up with the way forward soon.

“The nation and good people of Malawi will be updated on our further position as soon as we get proper briefing from the Malawian authorities on this matter,” the company says in a statement.

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Salvador
Salvador
9 years ago

As a fellow malawian, i agree with my fellow country men from monkeybay. if the people want access to the lake, give them the access. By the way, many tourist attractions in the world are not designed the way we have in malawi..there are roads between the resorts and the beaches. Why cant we do the same if mota engil is really trying to bring something world class

Chemtukanika
Chemtukanika
9 years ago

I don’t understand why some of you blame or accuse the Monkey Bay people.Remember that Malawi lost land to the Whites who said they wanted to assist the Malawians economically yet up to now we are very poor.Today peole fail to have a small pieace of land to cultivate yet the Whites have thousands of hectares of land lying iddle.These Whites are very rich at their homes with proceeds from Malawi soil.With this behaviour,we shall end up selling all the natural resources including ourselves.Tiyeni Tidzuke Amalawi Tiyeni Tidzuke.

KUKHALA
KUKHALA
9 years ago

THESE INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES LIKE MOTA ENGIL & PALADIN ARE CORRUPTED . WHY DO WE ALWAYS HEAR BAD NEWS ABOUT THEM IN MALAWI.
THEY SHOULD PACK & GO.

matako
matako
9 years ago

Development tourist attractions in particular are very important to our country. For a long time we have spoken in favor and in need of such facilities. These tourist attractions would not only put Malawi on the world map but also would bring in the much needed forex which this country badly needs. Having said that we also need to be very careful and diligent with the way we choose our development partners. Transparent and stakeholder consultation is paramount to any successful private investment. Government must realise that as much as our country this foreign capital we must be very prudent… Read more »

Kanya
Kanya
9 years ago

ANY DEVELOPMENT HAS ITS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES

Chigonapamuhinya
9 years ago

Mra staff(Rhoza),my neighbor, crying, sorry. U hav really answered my questions well. I can now guess u came there during that cashgate yao lady at large. I support ur thinking that mra is for all malawians. There4 malawians are being replaced by malawians. Being malawians nawo adyeko za mra ngati mmene mwadyera. Neighbor njiru bwanji? Sorry!!!!!!!!!!!

Pichi
Pichi
9 years ago

Mukuganiza Njoma yo sangapange zimenezi? Muberekeni chilungamo chioneka. Chonde ndale tisamapange ndi miyoyo ya athu chonde chonde.

Chigonapamuhinya
9 years ago

Iwe MRA Staff. Nkhani ili apa si imene ukukambayo ayi!!!! Kodi iwe ndi anzako mukukuwa kuti ena amve tribe yanu ndichani ndipo muliko angati? Anakulembani ntchito ku mra ko ndani ndipo wa tribe yanji? Kodi MRA imeneyi ili chigawo cha Gonapamuhinya Republic kapena brantaya? Kodi nanga seccession mukufuna ija ikachitika ndiye mudzakuwa motani? This is just the beginning of what yu want. Mwanyanya kuchulukana mu brantaya muno. Ofesi ili yonse kungoti thoo a mfukamapiri okhaokha. Simunati ndi federalism yanuyo. kkkkkkkkkkk

Rhoza Adu Chikapa Mbilizi
Rhoza Adu Chikapa Mbilizi
9 years ago

Ichi nchi savi. Kkkkk. Maganizo awu nyapapi. Myself am Yao from Blantyre but flankly speaking nepotism and tribalism at MRA yafika at crisis level. I am not backing what mbwenus do but am also condemning in strongest terms the rampant nepotism and tribalism being entrenched at MRA. MRA is an institution for all of us Malawians regardless where its headquarters is. Your thinking is as same as saying since government seat is in Lilongwe, then all employees at capitol hill and other offices in Lilongwe should be Chewas! Myopic kind of thinking.

Wa police induda
9 years ago

But this got a routine base,,,,,,behind,,,,,,everything,,,,,,,smell rats,,,,here

tuvitwana
tuvitwana
9 years ago

Why not sell Ndata to Motor Angel? This is stupid. Why only Motor Angel causing problems? We hav so many foreign companies which r very peaceful, but thiz Portuguese? Shit man shit. Don’t get surprised when we start SUICIDE BOMBINGS, ZIMAYAMBA CHONCHI.

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