Jumbe accuses Mutharika administration: ‘this govt is corrupt’
Friday Jumbe, Malawi’s ex-finance minister who is now opposition UDF president has shrugged off talks that the Bakili Muluzi government was corrupt saying the perception has no basis and pointed out that in the current Mutharika administration there is rampant corruption.
Jumbe was questioned by Capital Radio’s Straight Talk programme host, Brian Banda, to comment on the corruption allegations associated with the previous UDF government.
“So it is said as we hear it as a song. The song was being sung at that time that our government was corrupt, to what an extent; I think what you are saying is correct; it was an allegation which has never been founded.
“Because what those politicians of that time were doing I don’t see the difference with what difference the current politicians are doing now,” said Jumbe in a programme monitored by Nyasa Times, aired on Tuesday evening.
“And as you know the corruption index rose much further in 2007 and 2008 meaning thereby that the issue of corruption is not as we talk about,” he said.
But journalist Banda renowned for his no-holds barred questions in the fast-paced interview programme, pressed Jumbe to explain why donors withdrew budgetary support when there were corruption allegations during the UDF government.
The former country’s purse keeper from 2002 to 2004 denied that donors pulled out their budgetary support due to corruption but said it was due to fiscal discipline.
“The donor community pulled out because what they perceived to be not meeting the macro economic targets. They came back during my period in September 2003 when I was minister of finance and they only pulled out towards the elections because maybe they didn’t think we could control the budget during the election time,” explained Jumbe.
But probed to explain on the much publicized K187 scam where contractors were paid for buildings school projects which were not completed or even not constructed altogether, Jumbe said the cases involved individuals.
“The issue of schools is what is popularly known as the Ministry of Education scam. And the scam affected particular individuals. The matter was taken to court. It was partially finished and it is still being pursued in court.
“When a matter has been taken to court and culprits have been taken to book, you can’t therefore necessarily say you can associate their activities with government. It was to do with those individuals that were taken to book.”
He said corrupt practices which he denounces are even occurring in Europe and that “even in the current Malawi government there is corruption.”
Asked to prove the corruption cases in the Mutharika government, he answered: “Haven’t you read yourself that Road Traffic Directorate is corrupt. Haven’t you read yourself that the most corrupt is police? Haven’t you read yourself from the media there is corruption at Immigration?”
The interviewer also probed Jumbe on corruption allegations which have been associated with him including that he “unduly” benefited from the sale of maize.
“Don’t believe in perceptions and allegations, Malawi is sometimes a destructive society when you wear a good shirt sometimes people say the shirt might have been stolen. When you drive a good car, sometimes people say the car has been stolen but be honest where was it stolen? If you think it was stolen who are the culprits why can’t you bring the person to book?”
He said is wrong to conclude that UDF officials who were in government then were involved in wrongful self enrichment because they are all broke.
“We are poor by all definition. We are all languishing. If you check our bank accounts they are in red. So where is that property that was acquired dubiously and quickly when we are all very poor now?” he asked in a calm tone.
Probed on how he build the Superior Hotel in Blantyre if it was not by corrupt means, Jumbe said: “Would you think building Superior Hotel is something very wonderful? That’s a rest house, how many rest houses are in town? In Malawi how many better things have people built other than Superior Hotel? Do you think Superior Hotel is any more magnificent? It is not, that is why am saying some Malawians are very petty.”
He explained: “That hotel was built with loans from banks, there is evidence about that. If you go to the banks that I borrowed from, you will find out that I haven’t even finished paying back the loan. Therefore, should I stand on a podium and tell you where I got the loans before I build a project. I am a free Malawian, I can do business.”
He said some of the corruption allegations are made to destroy somebody’s character.
Asked if he can walk tall that he has not been corrupt when he was in government, Jumbe said: “Not tall but taller.”
Jumbe also pointed out that on the basis of comparison with the 31 years of MCP and by 2014 about 9 years of DPP, the UDF government cannot be looked lowly by the donors.
“In my view there is a lot of donor confidence on reflection and introspect,” said Jumbe. He did not elaborate.
Jumbe said he was appointed minister of finance in 2002 when the country was going through economic difficulties.
“We didn’t have a programme with IMF; donor support was rather lukewarm as such we went through a lot of difficulties. But despite those difficulties as a country we managed to survive. But I don’t want to compare with the current govt. That comparison will come in 2014 and not now,” said Jumbe.
Tagged with: Bakili Muluzi, Bingu, Friday Jumbe, IMF, UDF, World Bank
Nda uncle ako amenewa iwe Gift,muchenjere things have changed everything is on paper,be careful Jumbe time is running out,I Will be the minster if jumbe win’s,ndizabela nkhaza chifukwa govt ina iliyonse ikuba koopsya….from no where Bingu is a billionare wy?
Imadya pomwe aimangilira, iye ndiye afe ndiludzu mwendo uli mmadzi??
Jumbes answers are rubbish. He knows that people can see when a person was poor or normal malawian then suddenly he becomes very rich. Not even the president of United state or Europe can become rich wthin 5 years period. Muluzi how rich was before he was president? Why African presidents become so rich than Europeans, and yet we are beggers. We live on AID. Why they are no clinics in rural arears. Why Malawians are very poorly dressed. And why all educated, experienced people want to be MPS or ministers? The answer is to become RICH. How long have we got AID since we got independence, but where are all the money we got go. Yes Mr Jumbe. The police, immigration and government dept. are the most corrupted. Forcing someone to pay to someone who is doing his job to avoid paying custom duty is bribe and corruption. There is no use to send things from Europe by cargo without being forced bribe. The government allow this becuse if I report they dont do anything. They support the system. Neither Muluzi or Muntharika gov. has done something to this. Corruption continues. It is sin to pay to a work who is doing his/her job. I too work and get my money from my employers. Indians and black foreigners get rich because of this. A poor Malawian can not do business because he/she has not enough money to pay forced bribe. Presidents and ministers are workers too. They have their high salaries and that is what they should live on like the rest of citizen. Demoncrancy, yes there is demoncrancy, but a country of 3/4 of citizen without proper school to understand that they too have right to live a normal life, they support rich poor. One can see from the comment on nyasa. It is tribe or region, and always for a richer person. Ababa Jumbe. A man who did not care about Malawians die as long as he could get the money to sale maize. Dr Banda could have hunged him. Problem is not many has jailed because of corruption that is why it will continue. The reason is because even the current gov, is corrupted there you are right mr ´Jumbe. Muntharika promised to deal with corruption but what is he doing. Disappointed to the voters. When
Jumbe, kawuze mbuzi kuti corruption munalibe mu boma la UDF. Ngakhale ana amene amaziwa kuti mu UDF munali katangale woopsa.
I would like to thank Jumbe for being honest in his interview. Jumbe does not deny that there was no corruption in UDF or there is corruption in DPP. I quote him as he said there is no difference in what the UDF was doing and wehat the current govt is doing. Jumbe is not either saying the current govt is more corrupt but is saying what the media and other people are saying about the departments which are said to be corrupt. In addition he has not accused the current govt any where of being corrupt but is pointing out that what was being done in UDF is also done during DPP.To my understanding Jumbe is trying to say that what malawians are saying there is much corruption in the country is not true as he compares that malawi moved from being too red to a better position on world rank of countries being corrupt. I totally agree with him that some accusation on corruption are meant to tarnish the image of other people.Jumbe believes its allegations that are being made by the media that there more corruption. Jumbe has not said the corrupted department are so and so but what has been writen. Jumbe is not accusing Mutharika govt of being more corrupt, this is a lie.Remember in all countries of the world there is corruption.
I just want to disagree that in DPP there is “rampant” corruption. Jumbe is wrong to include the word “rampant”. In UDF there was both theft and rampant corruption. and Friday Jumbe is now very rich because of that, sangakanenso.
Rubbish Bingu administration for you to gain publicity stand now. Otherwise, you have nothing sensible to offer poor Malawians. Guys you don’t know politics.
Bingu ,Jumbe are all rubbish.There are all corrupt.Nobody can claim to be snow white between these two greedy politicians.Malawi will choose in 2014 than starting making noise now for the president thing.Kuzatuluka munthu from nowhere than the recycled politicians we have this time.They are all crap..just greedy people to enrich themselves.
ON EARTH THRE IS NO A REACH PERSON AND THERE IS NO-ONE WHO CAN SAY I HAVE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE. EVERY PERSON HAVE GOT ITS WEAKNESES. AND ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGES THAT IS WHY WE’RE HUMAN BEEN, WE’RE NOT ENGELS OR GOD LETS JUST LEAVE THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT. WE POOR PEOPLE OUR PART IS JUST 2 SEE NOTHING WE CAN DO.