ACB busts Malawi Revenue Authority dubious recruitment

The country’s graft-busting body Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has released its findings of investigations into the recruitment at the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) following complaints of unfair job offers in the process that were reported in April  2020, saying  the process was fraudulent and has asked the tax –collecting body to replace 125 unqualified recruit.

Matemba: ACB has asked MRA to repalce 127 newly-recruitec customs and revenue officers after investigations uncovered there was swapping of successful candidates with those that did not qualify

Releasing the report in Lilongwe at a news conference on Tuesday, ACB director Reyneck Matemba said 533 candidates were invited for interviews by MRA, 487 were interviewed with 125 were selected.

Matemba said the list of 125 candidates was then sent to National Intelligence Service (NIS) for vetting.

The ACB found that the NIS had no legal mandate to vet posts of customs and revenue officers.

And while the vetting was in process, out of the 125 candidates, 71 not on the initial list of the successful candidates, were offered jobs without merit.

“Out if the 125 candidates 71 names were not in the list of successful candidates. The main finding is that 71 candidates did not qualify for the jobs. Their grades were below standard and they found their way on the second list without merit,” said Matemba.

The ACB director said it was illegal for the state spy agency to do the vetting as the posts in question did not require such a process.

“Some of the questions that were being asked were inappropriate. They were asked if the candidates had any connection with the ruling party, their district of origin, the issue of tribe, with the idea to kick out some from the list,” he said.

Among those that benefitted from the fraudulent recruitment were relatives of the ousted Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government officials – Nicholas Dausi and Charles Mchacha – as well as senior MRA managers.

Already, the public tax collector has a number of its staff appointed through similar dubious means.

Most of the officers at the Msonkho House were not employed on merit but through DPP connections.

ACB also found that two senior officers at MRA who he did not name breached procedural requirements and abused their offices.

He said the bureau will rap the two senior MRA officers who may have committed other crimes in the process, saying their arrest is looming.

Unfortunately, Julius Makondetsa, the man who sought a court relief, was not on the list of successful candidates, with Matemba saying “even if MRA were to recruit 400 candidates,  his grade would not have warranted him to be on the successful list.”

The ACB has since recommended that thesuccessful candidates should be offered the jobs at MRA on merit.

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kanjedza
kanjedza
4 years ago

There has been no comment that Asian businessmen are involved in this??????????

Gule Wankulu
Gule Wankulu
4 years ago

ACB, you need to conduct a massive recruitment program for your office because you have a lot of work to do. The rot in recruitment that was occurring at MRA is occurring throughout public institutions, especially parastatals.

Bwana Matemba, if you think you are overwhelmed by work right now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. You’ll be overwhelmed!👌

Klip
Klip
4 years ago

You recruit a deserving relation osati opanda zomuyeneleza and there is no harm, unless you talking about okolopa

Mofolo
Mofolo
4 years ago

There is a very good notion in investigation its called case referral. That is when a case is slightly out of your mandate you refer it to the appropriate agency for proper remedies and action. This should have been referred to the Ombudsman for thorough investigation not what the ACB is blah blah here. Pitani Ku State House Obwana olemba ozipongozi mmeko maudindo kunguwaninkha ma contract upwapwaza misonkho yo Malawi

Corruption free malawi

Fire all commissioners. There were all involved. Ku finance kulinso wachibale wa mayi wina wake. Anagula nawo nyumba in dubious manner. Mpititseni ku holiday

Mr Tishu Kaviphwisi
Mr Tishu Kaviphwisi
4 years ago

MRA has always behave like that.. just take a look at the lifestyle of its employees.. Eiish

Concerned citizen
4 years ago

MRA has made the playing field very uneven and thus not in favour of the ethical businesses in the country. I argue that there are companies which pay no or close to no tax, both direct and indirect, and hence are able to sell their goods much cheaper.

It is my plea that the Government sees to it that those officer who are corrupt are dealt with. Task the intelligence agency with busting these evil practices. We need a thriving private sector, built on a level playing field.

Kelvin Bazale Dembo
Kelvin Bazale Dembo
4 years ago

#Bureaucracy at its best

Shonai
4 years ago

You are busy witch hunting.Hope you are going to arrested everybody who has a relationship at work.Azibusa ,m’ma kampany etc.About 80% of people in most cases have had opprotunities because of relationships .Mukupupuluma too much.

Amuna Kudambo
Amuna Kudambo
4 years ago

Thank you Lord! This country was going to the gutters! Saved from the pit of hell!

Chilima and Chakwera, don’t take us to that road again!

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