ACB gets ‘undue influence’ to clear Nankhumwa over obscene wealth probe

As the battle for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president for the South, post intensifies, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been facing undue influence to clear  Minister of Local Government Kondwani Nankhumwa who is party’s director of elections and is aspiring to unseat the incumbent George Chaponda.

Nankhumwa, who is also Mulanje Central member of Parliament, was summoned to appear before ACB after donating in his constituency K23 million worth of items including an ambulance to Mulanje District Hospital, 300 bicycles and two motorbikes to Mulanje Police Station.

Some critics questioned the source of the money when just three years ago, he struggled to find money for fuel during campaign in the run up to the election when his party was in opposition.

A Malawian government minister earns around K1.2 million a month.

Nyasa Times sources say,  the anti-graft busting body has now been facing undue political influence to have Nankhumwa cleared of any wrong doing.

ACB spokesperson Egritta Ndala said the bureau will come out with  detail to clear Nankhumwa.

Nankhumwa says he is now a wealthy and Malawi’s top cash rich politician, saying  there was neither fraud nor foul play in the manner in which he mobilised resources  for the purchase of the donated items.

Said Nankhumwa: “Apart from being an MP or a Cabinet minister, I have a right to run businesses just like any other Malawian. I have a radio station, Mzati FM, which is doing well businesswise. I also have maize mills, among other businesses.

“It is, therefore, too illogical to conclude that Nankhumwa cannot afford this and that, only so and so can. It is high time Malawians rejected this disease of looking down upon others.

“There are people who knew me as Nankhumwa, an employee of MBC [Malawi Broadcasting Corporation], with nothing much to show for. But people must accept life has stages; we cannot all go through the same stages and we must humbly accept realities this life offers.”

He remains under investigations by law enforcing agencies as whistle-blowers continue to make further allegations.