Betrayal in Lilongwe: How Corruption Thrives Under Chakwera’s Watch

For a government that pledged to root out corruption, the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) stands as a glaring contradiction. President Lazarus Chakwera rose to power on promises of reform, vowing to dismantle the networks of graft that had long plagued Malawi. His administration declared war on corruption, launching high-profile investigations and dismissing compromised officials. Yet, in the heart of the capital, corruption has not only survived—it has thrived, punishing those who stand for integrity while rewarding those who play along.

Inside LCC, routine staff transfers conceal a more sinister reality: retaliation, abuse of power, and political impunity. The official explanation? Performance issues. The truth? A ruthless campaign against those who dare to uphold the law.

It began with 300 residential plots earmarked for fair distribution among Lilongwe’s residents. However, Mayor Esther Sagawa allegedly sought to claim 70 plots for herself, pressuring officials into compliance.

“Plot allocation got me plot offers? To my knowledge, I don’t know,” Mayor Sagawa responded tersely when questioned about the allegations.

When senior staff refused to bend the rules, they were swiftly and punitively reassigned, losing their positions for the sake of integrity.

But Sagawa’s ambitions did not stop at land.

The Make Lilongwe Green initiative, funded by K4 million from residents, was meant to rejuvenate the city. Instead, it allegedly became a financial windfall for the mayor. When finance officers resisted her attempts to divert the funds, they too were removed.

“My personal accounts have never benefited from such,” Sagawa stated in another brief reply.

Documents reveal that key staff were abruptly transferred after refusing to authorize questionable transactions. The justification for these moves remained unchanged: performance issues.

The real reason? Every ousted officer had blocked an illegal scheme favored by the mayor. One officer was dismissed after halting unauthorized developments tied to Sagawa’s allies. A director, now reassigned to another district, had insisted that public funds be spent appropriately. Several officers who refused to enable the land grab were also sidelined. These were not incompetents—they were professionals who refused to betray public trust.

One of the affected officers, whom Nyasa Times cannot name for fear of further victimization, accused Mayor Sagawa of interfering with nearly all legally established procedures of the council.

“In employment contracts, she influences the transfers of employees without following disciplinary procedures. She also manipulates plot allocation procedures and building development approvals, among other things,” the source confided to Nyasa Times.

Sagawa’s overreach extended beyond her jurisdiction, bulldozing both regulatory barriers and the people who enforced them. Every legal safeguard in her path became a target—along with those who upheld it.

“…kindly get their posting letters and see the reasons, and who has the power for transfers. On the Green campaign expenditure, you can access records from the accounts department,” the mayor responded.

The irony is not lost on the public. While President Chakwera made sweeping declarations about accountability, corruption has flourished under his watch.

His government pledged to empower institutions like the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), yet the agency remains silent despite mounting evidence and public pressure to intervene.

The situation at Lilongwe City Council presents a significant challenge to President Chakwera’s anti-corruption agenda.

The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) met with President Chakwera on 13 January 2025 and expressed disappointment with the government’s handling of corruption cases.

Msgr. Dr. Thawale emphasized that corruption has eroded public trust in the administration, undermining the integrity of the presidency, and reminded the president of his 2019 and 2020 campaign promises to fight corruption.