Mutharika not aware of 7 rotten ministers in Cashgate audit- State House
President Peter Mutharika will not fire any minister despite demands to axe seven reportedly implicated in the ‘grand corruption’ financial analysis report, State House has said.
Presidential spokesman Mgeme Kalilani said Mutharika is not aware of any ministers involved in the mismanagement of the public funds.
“We have to put the matter in proper prespective here. The President in not aware of any minister named in the Cashgate forensic audit,” Kalilani said during Daybreak Malawi program aired on Capital Radio Monday morning.
“As far as the President is concerned he is not ware of any name of minister implicated,” stressed Kalilani.
But despite names of the Cashgate suspects being kept under wraps by the Auditor General, Stepheson Kamphasa, the details of individuals allegedly implicated have been coming out in public domain with one online publication Malawi Newsnow mentioning what it claimed was the ‘list of shame’.
In parliament last week, Mzimba West MP Harry Mkandawire (PP) mentioned leader of the house George Chaponda as one of the rotten ministers .
Chaponda denied any involvement.
Mkandawire said the ministers know themselves and are seving cabinet with Cashgate guilt, sayingif they have any integrity – as one of the three pillars of national development – should no longer hold their positions.
“These Cabinet ministers know themselves and if they have a shred of honour, they should have resigned until investigations on the matter are over,” up-front talking Mkandawire said.
One of the ministers, Henry Mussa , has also been forced to plead innocence after he was linked to the plunder.
“Out of seven cabinet ministers, why singling Henry Mussa? Where are the other five apart from Chaponda who has been named? This is a joke. I know it is a personal vendetta planned by my detractors to destroy my political career, image and credibility,” Mussa said.
He challenged anyone “to bring evidence” against his alignment into the cashgate report.
“My conscious is telling me that my hands are clean,” said Mussa.
“These detractors must go to hell and die there as their evil intentions won’t achieve anything. Let me assure the general public that soon the real culprit of this massive looting will be known to them,” fumed Mussa.
Revelations of the K577 billion cashgate came hot on the heels of a forensic audit report by British firm, RSM (formely called Baker Tilly), that established that K24 billion was looted from Capital Hill between April and September 2013 under the administration of Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP).
Banda is on record saying “ There must be a stubborn link between the MK577 billion scandal of 2009 and 2012 and the MK20 billion cashgate of 2013.”
The K577 billion cashgate audit report will be a stern test to President Peter Mutharika committement to fight corruption without fear or favour.
Corruption in Malawi is severe, well-known, cuts across many sectors, and is frequently debated and discussed in the media.
Such corruption undermines human rights in multiple ways: a direct defiance of the rule of law and accountability. By unlawfully interfering with resources that should be available to realize fundamental rights such as the rights to health, water, food, and education—either through illegally appropriating public funds for personal wealth or rendering access to services subject to bribes, which are illegal—corruption leads to violations of human rights that may have disastrous consequences.
Observers also note that lack of political will has crippled Malawi’s anti-corruption bureau, undermining their efforts through political interference and threats.
Given Malawi’s political patronage system, it is highly unlikely that President Mutharika will put his trusted ministers in the dock .
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in times like the=se we have culprits whocan be assigned to invopke poisonous wprds which have otherwise never been inflicted on this nation,,,,,,,,,what if boko haram bombed the state resdence too,,,,,,the presdent wuld not be aware,,,,,,is it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,? if its old age making this olsman un awre of the current hot soop in the plate thenn let him resign …………..tooo………………….for furthere awareness in him
17 million Malawians are suffering due to 40% donor aid freeze because of the greedy, sticky and selfish APM rotten ministers. If APM is not on top of access to information as president who then will know this?. Mgeme to hail with your childish defense for the chicken headless leader.
this government is for thieves. i have said this so many times but Malawians you can’t listen!!!!!!!
Kamphasa himself told us some names and Mussa Henely and Chaponda are among them so i see no reason why he is furious
Ine koma a Mussa amandiwaza. “His concious” is telling him his hands are clean. Does he even have a conscience that can tell him anything? Everytime, he blames something and never himself. During Bingu’s death, it was “uzwezwe” responsible, and not him. This man needs a soul.
Not surprising at all, the President is actually NOT aware of anything happening in Malawi! If this Cashgate was involving Opposition leaders the namss would have been mengioned at a “development rally” by he himself who is of the “not aware” fame! Attack dog Akweni would have been firing in all cylinders by now blaming all Casgaters for tbe current economic malaise in our beautiful Malawi! All the patriots are just waiting to see if once again the ” Cashgaters 7″ will get away with such a heinous crime just like the ” pakati pa usiku 6″……..ironically the midnight six… Read more »
But Mutharika is known to have told others that Henry Mussa is very corrupt! Let Mutharika hinself deny this publicly and then I will name whom Mutharika said this to!
But what about the father and mother of corruption the looter and crooked Bingu! He stole most!
Everyone withinn the DPP top ranks knows who the 7 are. But APM would rather chew his foot before he fires these corrupt ministers. Frankly if by God’s grace we ever get to know the names in the report there should be a way for us to get back this money from these people.
If the president is not aware of this crucial information, he is not fit to govern. He should step down too. He should have immediately called for the file and get briefed. This can not be tolerated by the Malawians. He needs to get this information immediately and act on it as a matter of urgency or resign forth with if he has no stomach to deal with his colleagues. He should let others deal with it for the sake of our country before our country sinks further in both political and economic chaos.
poor observation! How do you know that the president has not seen the file? If the so called names are in the so called file why not puplicise them? The president may not act on imaginary names?
Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa, the cuprit are not known, cry Malawi for you will suffer and suffer terribly till the Lord will com