PP query Chakwera’s ‘misinformation’ on Cashgate

Peoples Party (PP) officials have dishonoured Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera for saying the Joyce Banda administration tolerated plunder of public resources when it was in government.

PP spokesperson Noah Chimpeni said what Chakwera said in his new year’s message  was untrue  assertion and a deliberate provocation.

“We all know that soon after the cashgate, it was Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda who ordered the investigations, arrests of suspects and took the suspects to court. It is therefore unfair to blame her and her PP government,” Chimpeni said.

In his speech Chamwera made an assertion that PP looked the other  side when people were stealing government money.

But PP spokesman  dismissed the assertion as utterly, utterly fasle.

“I would like to put the record straight. While we agreed with most of what is contained in the speech, PP would like ti categorically debunk the misinformation that the [Joyce Banda aministration] watched without doing anything while government money was being fleeced.

“The truth of the matter is that immediately the lootig of government resources came to light, President Dr Joyce Banda instituted investigations. Culprits were brought to book; some are now serving jail terms; others are still answering cases in courts of law. Dr Joyce Banda repeatedly said that she would not shield anyone stealing government money. She  did not sweep the cashgate  under the carpet even though this came to light at a time when many would consider to be a bad time during elections,” said Chimpeni.

He said to date under the Peter Mutharika administration, “no one has been arrested for stealing government money; even though there is the K577 billion report of stealing which happened during DPP administration.”

Added Chimpeni: “ The only people answering cases of stealing government money are those that were arrested during PP administration.  That is  testimony enough that Dr Joyce Banda was committed to fighting corruption unlike the current administration which is claiming that there is no corruption happening under its watch.”

Chakwera is Leader of Opposition in parliament and his party, the Malawi Congress Party enjoys political alliance with Peoples Party.

There are indications the Malawi Congress Party will form an electoral alliance with PP  in 2019 to which Chakwera will be presidential candidate to topple President Peter Mutharika at the ballot box.

In his address, Chakwera said corruption was the worst in 2016 citing examples at Escom, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority and Roads Authority.