ADMARC board summons CEO Mulumbe, management over ‘maizegate’
Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) board has summoned its chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe and management to explain procurement details of the Zambia maize saga.
Board chair of Admarc, James Masumbu confirmed of the meeting Friday.
“We have the meeting indeed and we have the one agenda, that of the issue of the procurement of maize,” he said.
Masumbu said the outcome of the meeting would be given to the commission of inquiry on the procurement of the maize.
Mulumbe and Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda are accused of corruption elements in the misprocurement of the K100000 metric tonne of maize from Zambia.
Masumbu , a private-practice lawyer, changed tune on that he told Times Radio that management bypassed the board in the procurement of the maize, saying the management briefed the board on the issue.
His voice was on Times Radio this week saying management did not consult the board on the procurement but only informed them on the loan from PTA Bank.
In Zambia, opposition United Peoples Party (UPP) has increased its pressure on government to probe Commerce minister Margaret Mwanakature and Agriculture minister Dora Sichinga on the same maize saga.
UPP president Savers Chishinga also asked Zambian president Edgar Lungu to appoint a commission of inquiry on the maize issue as is the case with Malawi.
“Zambians want justice on the matter, they are very angry. In addition, they want the two ministers investigated seperately,” he said
. The maizegate, as it is known in Malawi has the potential of provoking political instability in the mostly peaceful and poor Malawi. The Agriculture minister in Malawi Chaponda has rejected any wrong doing, saying he had minimal role in the procurement of the procurement.
He has since refused to resign.
The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said despite the commission of inwuiry having been set up by President Peter Mutharika, they still maintain that Mulumbe and Chaponda should step down to pave the way for investigations.
“Because if they do not do that, it will look like a smokescreen to bluff us to think that the Executive is doing something about the issue,” PAC chairperson Alekeni Menyani said.
According to a government statement, commissioners include retired Chief Justice Anastazia Msosa as chairperson and the public auditor Isaac Kayira, Solicitor General Janet Banda and Law Commission deputy chief law reform officer Mike Chinoko as secretary.
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Poor Chaponda, he is being accused in almost every major corruption taking place. Pepani madala…..
If it were civilised nations which follow the tenets of democracy, Mulumbe and Chaponda would have resigned. The only problem here is leadership. APM is perpetrating corruption by shielding these culprits this means corruption in Malawi will never face the exit since the main perpetrator of it is the President himself.
M’dala iwe Chaponda. Can you explain the source of millions of money (cash) you were depositing at the bank?
Can you explain why umafuna ATI bill kuti MPs should not discuss? Ndipo pano tokufufuza mbava iwe. Kubela anthu a flood victims? Umudziwanso Mulungu.
Nawenso Mgeme Kalilani, samala. Ukufuna kuuza ife kuti Peter sangalowelele kuchotsa Admarc head; ndiye kuti some cases appointing/dismissing/etc ankapanga m’mbuyomu in such institutions amalakwitsa? Bwera poyera kuti tifukule nkhani za mtundu uwu.
Pano ma gates achuluka. Bingu Stadium kukuwonekanso kuti kuli deal za mkazi wa Ben Phiri. Find out.
I can sense some very well known people that we’re splurging that money at the expense of the poor malawians in hot soup!!! hmmm please make the necessary arrests and they should be prosecuted asap!
All of those admarc management should be questioned and fired or resign immediately, not only the CEO himself. It must involve the ones that approve the contracts as well as they are the ones that are dubious and anadyapo kenakake.
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!!! HMMMMM