ACB issues stern warning against swindle of Malawi Aids funds

Anti Corruption Bureau(ACB) Deputy Director General, Reyneck Matemba, on Thursday sent strong warning to all implementing partners for HIV and Aids projects that ACB will unleash a whip unsparingly in order to completely root out all forms of corruption and wrongful self-enrichment happening in the sector.

Matemba issued a stern warning on during the signingceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between  National Aids Commission(NAC) and ACB.

“ACB is aware that the infamous cashgate is still taking place in Malawi. It is happening in various forms but let me warn you that ACB will catch you. You can try to hide but we will still catch you even if you die we will deal with your deseased estate because that’s what the law is saying,” Said Matemba.

Taking his turn NAC board chair Paramount Chief Kyungu, said the MOU will help to strengthen transparency and accountability and instill fiscal discipline at NAC.

“This is a very important ceremony for the Commission as it manifests our total commitment to principles of good governance, and more especially, our commitment in the fight against fraud and corruption in all NAC funded projects,” said Paramount Chief Kyungu.

Kyungu said every year, the Government of Malawi, through the National AIDS Commission, disburses considerable sums of money in the form of grants to organizations for implementation of HIV and AIDS activities.

The chief said, considering the volume of resources that are disbursed to implementing partners, there are unforeseen risks in the process.

“That is the reason why the Commission, in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Corruption Bureau, instituted measures to ensure that funds disbursed and earmarked for HIV and AIDS activities are safeguarded, in order to serve the intended purpose,” said Kyungu.

Kyungu  urged NAC management and the ACB to ensure that these recommendations are taken seriously during implementation the revised MOU over the next four years.

The MOU  was initially developed and signed in 2008 and when it expired, the two parties considered it appropriate to renew and extend it for another three years.

Despite some challenges experienced during implementation, some of the successes of this MOU are very evident.

Among others, the NAC Corruption and Fraud Prevention Policy  is  a fulfillment of the Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at creating awareness of corruption and fraud related issues amongst all implementers of HIV and AIDS activities, as well as  dealing with cases of fraud and corruption, once reported.

The first lady Gertrude Mutharika was forced to refund money her Beautify Malawi (Beam) trust received from NAC for its official launch.

The Beam trust does not carry out HIV and Aids work, yet it received $10?000 from the Aids commission after Mutharika wrote to it. The body funds organisations that carry out HIV- and Aids-related work, but must first submit a detailed project proposal, which Mutharika did not do.

Malawi Health Equity Network director Martha Kwataine said it was unfair for Mutharika to misuse money meant for Aids care, putting the lives of Malawians at risk to promote her trust.

In February 2014 NAC had to refund $4?million to the Global Fund, which had been misappropriated through ineligible transactions and inadequate supporting documentation.

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