Chakwera cracks whip on Covid-19 funds abuse, signals forensic audit: Fires Phuka, Dodma commissioner, all cluster heads

February 14, 2021 Wanga Gwede - Nyasa Times 96 Comments

President Lazarus Chakwera on Sunday  took a strong stance against maladministration of  fund on the Covid-19 pandemic fight, firing Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) Commissioner James Chiusiwa, appointing new co-chair of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and  suspending all cluster heads.

Chakwera: Cracks the whip and leaves the long arm of the law to deal with the culprits

This follows reports that K6.2 billion has been abused by some officials.

“As you recall last week, I gave the heads of clusters 48 hours to appear before the taskforce. Today I can report before you without  fear or favour that many clusters were poorly led. All clusters except one brought reports with evidence and had to be told to resubmit the reports. They showed negligence,” said Chakwera.

The President announced that all Cluster heads have been suspended immediately pending full forensic audit and full independent investigation by police.

He also said Dodma Commissioner James Chiusiwa has also been fired and that he will appoint the new Commissioner.

Co-Chairperson of the Taskforce John Phuka has also been relieved of  his responsibility and replaced by Chalamira Nkhoma as the new co-chair.

President Chakwera also said representatives of civil society organisations, Malawi Human Rights Commission and  graft-busting body Anti-Corruption Bureau will be added to the Taskforce and clusters to ensure that there is  accountability.

“I have made these decisions to address accountability lapses at the helm of all clusters, at the helm of DODMA, and at the helm of the Covid-19 Taskforce. However,

there remains the need to address alleged elements of criminal conduct by those who abused or misappropriated funds,” said Chakwera.

He disclosed that  there will be a full forensic audit on the Covid-19 funds which

the National Audit Office has already begun, and a full and independent investigation, which the Director of Public Prosecutions has requested the Malawi Police

Service to conduct as a matter of urgency.

Chakwera also said  says audit and criminal investigation will be done independently.

“As enshrined in the Constitution, these are matters for independent law enforcement agents and forensic auditors, who will do their work independently to pin down the culprit,” said the President.

He said those found to have committed crimes will be met with full arm of the law.

“Whether the independent audit and police investigation find the culprits of fraud, abuse, and misappropriation to be individuals at District Councils, or at DODMA, or at District Health Offices, they will be prosecuted accordingly, and I trust our independent Judiciary will do its part to mete out justice,” said Chakwera.

According to the President, the K6.2 billion was used as follows: K60 million on planning meetings; K535 million facilitating the return of Malawians from South Africa; K185 million on public awareness on media platforms; K580 million on border patrols (and) K72 million to support victims of gender-based violence during the pandemic with materials and cash transfers.

Dodma’s failure to account for the resources through giving Malawians a detailed account on how they have spent the resources have attracted wrath of citizens.

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96 replies on “Chakwera cracks whip on Covid-19 funds abuse, signals forensic audit: Fires Phuka, Dodma commissioner, all cluster heads”

  1. Akamaliza kuthyapa onse nayenso alowemo amunyapule zingapo. Akatha alowemo a DUPPP Ndi chimulinjerni, ndi ena onse amene anakwera nawo ndalama za anthu osauka. You will be amazed that the villager who is poor, malnourished will not die from Crana virus. It is these fat bloated greasy pork eating sauges eating milk guzzling sugar eating fake leaders who will go first. But enjoy. Judgment time is coming.

  2. Some of you are whores who hide under jesus and sit here and project your nasty spirit. Show your face. Probably ugly too and you lie that god made everyone beautiful

  3. Akamaliza lashing the others. Let him also receive 10000 lashings for faketry, and lazarty and thievry. Why are we saying this. This mpopa ngoro came in like man of gawd, arent christians the love everyone preaches and turn your other ass cheek preaches. So after all of the crack down, let him, gospel, mkaka, kampondeni and all the people from bible college at pobox 1028 come forward and get a whipping too. Because most of you follow this man as if he is God himself, Hidding under fake aliaes and spewing hatred for lomwes and all this other things. So it proves that christianity is full of hate., you just love those who support your fakery.. Dont try to answer this one because I will name some names.

  6. M’Malawi ndi chitsiru kwambiri ndipo sitingatukuke if we continue with this negative mind. Njala, nthenda, nsanje za mu National Anthem sizingathe. Kamuzu woyipa. Bakili woyipa. Bingu woyipa. Joyce Banda woyipa. APM woyipa. Chakwera woyipa. Amene anatitha kutikhazika ngati anthuko ndi Kamuzu. We could work in the field and not rely on hand outs. You want Chakwera to be giving you money. Chakwera wants to manage your taxes prudently unlike mbava zapitazi.

  7. Why leaving chiponda an fired she was the one in front of abusing this money chakwera pls be serious remove ur minister pls

  8. The President should be rest assured that any action related to clamping down corruption will be fully supported by many Malawians because this is what they voted for. For as long as nothing is done to thieves and plunderers of taxpayers money, the country will find it tough to create a Youth Fund, promote Mega Farming, Create a million jobs, Improve Healthcare/Education systems and indeed other socioeconomic initiatives.

  9. Musaiwale cash gate scandal zinalinso chonchi a pulezident kuuza mtundu was a Malawi kuti akuba onse amangidwa but the mess was too big to clear.

  11. When No Action is taken …Talk ,Talk,Talk….When someone takes Action …Talk ,Talk ,Talk…But at the End of the Day we want to Save our Taxes ….Bravo to the President …What we need now is Quick Action ….There are alot of People who have benefited and who want to benefit That there will be Alot of Resistance …Mbava zinadzalidwa ponseponse and some think they work for Parties not the People of Malawi ….Chop them without mercy …

    1. Chakwera is the mastermind of the corruption and pilfering we see in this government. As bad or worst than under Mutharika brothers, Joyce Banda or Muluzi. This Chakwera is directing the theft from State House.

  12. Kodi zimati boma la Malawi likumatumiza ma bus for repatriation where did the bus go and who have they repatriated because Ine I personally give food to Malawians who are struggling here in South Africa and really needs to go back to Malawi nde ma bus wo ali kuti

  13. I know of DCs who are thieves. When such money comes to them they feast on it. The situation is worse with decentralization. They are in charge of all activities in the district. Because of this theft by civil servants for 27 years, we do not have good roads, schools, drugs in hospitals, etc. Anthu atipweteka. Apweteka ma nurse koma chonsecho akadwala akufuna nurse yemweyo.

    1. Decentralization is a flop in Malawi. Stop it, even accounts clerks are little thieves buying ma IT every months. Health and education sectors are the main targeted soft spots by DCs

  14. Chakwera will soon become the most
    ruthless dictator president surpassing Kamuzu Banda. Does he have evidence that ALL cluster heads are guilty and deserve suspension? Was the 48hrs given realistic for a thorough accounting for K6.2bn? Does Malawi have a system which can put everything together and account for K6.2bn in just 2 days? Surely the suspension of all these people is ultravires and wielding of excessive power by Chakwera. Were they given time to be heard? Which procedures is Lazaro following as he runs this country? Surprisingly, Chakwera has suddenly become the firing and hiring agent single handedly rendering all Offices which are supposed to handle such matters redundant. Is this the type of president Malawi wanted? If left unchecked, Chakwera will eat everyone alive soon. Watch this space!!!

    1. You surely don’t know what you are talking about. Financial transactions are recorded in ledgers and as such 2 days is more than enough to just print reports from those systems. Chakwera did not give an instruction without thinking it through. Did you want him to give them a month to manipulate figures?

      1. Chakewera is the one supervising all the stealing of government money. Chakwera has appointed his Chewa brothers to facilitate the stealing. Chakwera has to enrich his big family. Time for Malawians to speak out.

        1. Suspension does not one is fired but rather give way for independent auditing to be done. In other words not to give time to the suspect to manipulate figures/ data

  15. Question for Rev Chakwera, President of Malawi -Where does the buck stop?
    As I see it you are an integral part of the rot, as a fish rots from head down. Your appointees stole for you! or with you! Out with you you crook!!!

  16. Minister of Finance is the head of the Chewa MCP mafia. He condones the corruption and receives his share. Chakwera has sadly failed. His whole government is made up of crooks who are free to loot and launder if you are a Chewa. Chilima is there simply to give cover by being passed on matters of corruption etc sad,sad.sad.

    1. VP should wise up and stop accepting assignments he cannot deliver on. Where ever the VP is involved, with his so called reforms etc. we see no results. All talk talk for Talk Talk Boma.

  18. TalkTalk Chakwera you are the Executive President of Malawi, so you are supposed to deal with this matter and resolve it. Instead you prejudge matters by sacking a number of officials than appoint SKC to deal with the matter. So that people can say you asked SKC to find a solution but that SKC failed. SKC has to be open and Frank and tell Malawians that he cannot resolve matters which TalkTalk has already prejudged. TalkTalk and his nepotism has landed us with corruption of unprecedented levels. Never seen in Malawi. What TalkTalk is busy doing is destroying the standing of SKC so that in 2024 people do not support him.

    1. Chakewra only sacked and suspended the officials to protect them and him. A forensic audit is only possible when auditors can get to all the records, in this case the records have been wiped clean. Also remember the last forensic audits on Cashgate, what did that achieve – nothing. Chakwera is a crook in fact crook No 1

      1. All is not lost, the reports they submitted against the funding provided, in between they will have a huge task of reconciling the two, say justifying that a plastic really costed K55000.00 kunsika,…pawavuta ndithu. Notwithstanding the fact that Dr Chakwera has probably been having too much valium over the last couple of months

  19. The ACB and Human Rights are oversight agencies and cannot take front row management portfolios in what every shap or form.

    How do they report corruption, if they were part of the decision?

  21. Malawi Chewa Party-MCP sopano kuyika achibale pamalo monga.

    Chalamira Nkhoma, Chizanja Nkhoma , Kabundula Nkhoma, Matako Nkhoma,Chimwendo Nkhoma , Temwende Nkhoma , Pati wa Nkhoma every name with Nkhoma you are in the list of One Million Jobs

    1. Palibe amene sayankhula chichewa even lomwes speak chichewa. Lomwe as a language is dead. Ngoni as a language is dead. If this is a Malawi Chewa Party then you are right because we all speak it. The only languages still alive are Yao, Sena, Tumbuka, Tonga, Nkhonde and Chitipa languages.

      2. Waba lero MK 6.2 billion ndi wa Youth omanga anthu nyakula , kudulitsa anthu amimba ma card ndi mwana yemwe

  23. It’s like a chain all Directors mma ministry are corrupt.They creat ma seminars ndi zibwezi zawo kumakagona places like Sunbird Livingstonia, Chawe Inn for a week.Some get allowances asanayende ndi komwe because a Director apanga fake trip. Auditors akabwela amanyemeledwa ndalama kuti apange produce fake report. Whole systems is rotten please Chilima sort these out

  24. When you come to councils… Anthu ake ndi akuba kwambili. They deliberately lump ndalama on one line so that zizivuta kupanga scrutinize or analyse. They already have a good accounting system that can handle detailed expenditure…….. Koma all the time they lump ndalama. On 5704 / 7301. Then they give you some stupid manual reports. Why can’t they report in detail from. Their platform???? Some of us have also lost alot of money but NLGFC protects these people.

  25. Another fellow chewa from kwa Senti is now co chair.Mmmmm apa sipali bwino panafunika kuona ndi maso ankhono.Kodi bwanji mumalemba anhtu woti anapanga kale maziko musiya anyamata aku CoM?Mnkulu mwatengayu inde ndi wa experience koma panafunika kuunika bwino chifukwa madolo alipo ambili amitunu yonse muno mMalawi.

  26. Ma kadeti nthawi yanu inatha and you are the ones frustrating the government. 90% of the top civil servants are cadets that were deliberately promoted by dpp. The PS for eduction should watch out as she is surrounded by directors who are all cadets. Yes they are Malawians and deserve to be there but they are very destructive people. Theft in the civil service is clearly seen with the property they have amassed. Look at the houses they have built in areas 43, 44, 47, 49, 50 etc. Look at the cars they are driving. They steal most of the fuel allocated in their cards. This system of self-driving is bad because they steal all the fuel. The system needs total overhaul. Recruitment should be based on competence and not tribes like the way Bingu, Bakili and APM used to do.

  27. Sorry John Phuka and Chiusiwa. Eeeee koma u Chairperson wa Covid Taskforce ndiofunika Bernard Sande, PS wa Lands chifukwa ndiye watifinya kuno ku Lands. Ma allowance anatheratu ndipo tikuvutika Kwambiri. Amachita kuumira ndalama za Boma ngati za mthumba mwake.

    2. Malawians, lets wake-up for this decision. Why is Minister of Health spared. Akudziwana amenewa ndi Chakwera. She has been at the helm of this plunder this shortest period she has been heading this Taskforce, starting from allowances and procurement. Should we conclude that she is the conduit of these allowances to the President? She is also involved in the deal of ambulance procurement in the Ministry of Health. Kalipokalipo.

  29. President Chakwera suggest to add Malawi Human Rights, ACB and Civil Society representatives to the task force of Covid 19. This is bull shit in a society which is rotten like Malawi. You think by adding these groups, you are stopping umbava? Not at all. They will just join the band waggon of thieves and it will be worse in the process. Let these groups be independent to provide the checks and balance. If thefty continues while these groups are in the task force, where will Malawians go then? Or Mr. President, are you aiming at stopping Malawians to say anything when thefty of this kind happens again? Stop abusing your office

  30. A bad carpenter will always blame his tools. Chakwela has failed to manage what is in his office, He is asking for help. Chakwela you looked clever during demos and bloodshed speeches. Here you are the worse president of Malawi. Not knowing what to do in your own office. Shame!!! only that malawians are sleeping, you are supposed to step down or be forced to leave otherwise you will live in shame until you are voted out come 2025.

    1. tangoganizani mmene boma la dzana anapangitsa audit azungu pa k500 billion kha k300b. ija mpaka lelo alipo anagwidwapo??? thats how rotten this country. amalamwera limodzi ma whisky madzulo ife tisakudziwa.
      SKC WE ENYRUST YOU TO UNEARTH THOS RUBBISH.
      OSABISA MUNTHU KUSELI.
      ZATIONJEZA.
      Pano ma kadeti angoti one year palibe cacotika mdalama paja pa dzana ankaenda nazo mma car boot kubisa ngati ntayo.
      REVAMP. THAT’S WHY WE CHANGED FROM DPP. TIONE ZANYUWANI

  31. Govt stop issuing ink written receipts it’s an outdated system which can encourage officials to have their own receipt books. Abolish this now or have a bank in every dept so money is deposited immediately. Our Govt officials are serial thieves. Do something now. No wonder we are one of the poorest nations on earth. What a shame!

  32. A visionary leader forsees risks ahead before his decisions that coordinate actions in dealing with those risks to avert loses ( eg life, funds, time). Here he is at it again, reacting to what could have been avoided yet incurring more costs that could have been avoided had he been resolute. No matter what ever he tries to do, if he fails to suspend/relieve his own inner circle ( all culprits for Crossroads Hotel saga, Chiponda as co- chair of COVID 19 Task Force etc), then he is not tough and it’s all baby jokes. When we say tough and decisive leadership that saw no family friends and relatives, then history reminds us of that leadership in Kamuzu. He talked less and was so quick to get rid of the rot. Timangomva kuti anduna akuti akuti athaa!!, SPC wathaa!! PS wathaa!!

  33. The minister should not be spared. She also stole money for independence celebration. Now chakwera is found chance to put his tribesmen to lead convid so that the theft should continue. Just like he has done with state house to place tribesmen relatives and church members in key positions at state house to oversee the execution of theft of state resources. One sad thing we have a useless and stupid leader of opposition who just watches and instead of pointing out at these I’ll he is busy thanking them.

  34. I appreciate the effort but this thing of asking government to audit itself does not prove efficient. considering the money involved, you were better of using Deloitte to do this.

    1. 1001% agreement. Even Deloitte when assigned need to send a complete team of Officers with unquestionable high integrity. Otherwise, they can join the bandwagon of looters as well. The Malawi Gvt Systems need total deliverance

  36. During the campaign you used to say dpp are thieves. Now you are seeing nyekhwe. Whether we like it or not,a lot of Malawians were born thieves from their mother’s woumbs.No change for Malawi. Let’s ask Donald Trump to rule us to finish his second term.. By that thieves will be smoked out.

  37. What is it with Malawians and not getting to the source of problems!? If we go the firing route surely the Minister must go and by extension the premo himself!

  38. I thought the Minister of Finance is the overall chair of the Task Force, why Fire Dr. Phuka only and spare the minister???????

  39. Kkkkk nanuso mukwantere! Zose zili mumndanda wa makobidiwa palibe olo chimodzi chikuvwilizana ndi covid. Just imagine ati k60million ya ti ma meeting topusa, k580million kaya ma border ake a kuchipinda kwawo kaya ndi zina zopusa.
    Be serious zipatala zathu zipangizo zisowelenji. Ma ambulance kumachita kusowa mafuta.
    Zidativuta pachiyambi penipeni we couldnt budget well

  40. You owe me an explanation Mr. President as to why you have fired Phuka and kept Chiponda. As you claimed, if the dismissal is to do with lack of good leadership, was Phuka superior to Chiponda? Be fair Mr. President, otherwise this is another big mistake you have made?

  43. Psa koka. wezulo yake ndiyomwe ija ”MUZISAZA”
    Pa dzana ndalama zimangoyenda ngati njoka . no accountability.
    anthu amapita ky nyanja kosambila kulandila ma allowance in the name of Seminar.
    ena ati akupita abroad kumaphuzilo. kulandila khusa kumangozungulila mu LL muno. kumangozizila nkhani.
    ena kumenyana poti dzina silinatuluke pa list yama allowance.
    ma slay kwini ama bwana free allowances ..in one word LAZINESS S THE ROOT CAUSE.

    Timava kwa ogwila ncito mu zipatala za kunja kuti amangolandila salary yomwe ili pa level yao. ndi momwe timaonera mma newspaper ena pa ma TV .koma nta allowance ngati kuti io sali risky.

    Let al9ne kwa azathu kuli strick no visitor to the hospitals. and they
    bath
    turn
    feed
    contact the relatives if the patients cannot.
    By the way ”nutrition” to our patients bwanji??
    nde wina kumaba ndalamazi ntima uli pansi kha titi no gugu.

    Let’s lock them up. IDHIOTS.
    pano sikuti poti ndiophuzila kha wa dzina. ayhi.
    root them out.
    IDHIOTS

  44. Lets be honest, Peter sometimes with his slowness was clueless but Chakwera is trash and a dunderhead. 7 months down the line every one including his supporters can see that the reverend is very inexperienced and lacks wisdom to run a government. Awa 2025 sazawina.

    3. Ngati Alhomwe mkuba anthu atani nanu? Basi msiyeni Chakwera ayikemo anthu amene angamunthandize coz u Lhomwes u r there to steal make Chakwera as a failure.

      I don’t condone what u Lhomwes are doing in government system, the same way u did with Joyce Banda , u want to do it with Chakwera.

      1. This was theft in all councils and you blame it on one tribal grouping!? what in the heavens has come over you, seriously? I am struggling to even establish what sort of oversight and regulatory platform Dr Phuka had to control and account for covid funds

    1. We are doomed as a nation if we wait for forensic audits or wait to “punish” civil servants AFTER THE FACT. In a well run country internal controls would be put in place BEFORE the first tambala was spent. These controls involve budgetary control, segregation of duties, properly set procurement procedures, proper cheque mandates (2 signatories for small amounts, and 3 signatories for big amounts), AND regular checks that the funds are being properly used by strictly insisting on monthly management accounts. This list of internal controls is by no means exhaustive.

      Waiting for things to get out of hand and then firing people and instituting forensic audits is too little too late. As an example it is clear now, seven months after Chakwera became president that there is no appetite to successfully prosecute the scores of people who stole public funds under the DPP kleptocracy. All those people are smiling all the way to the bank. Remember there was a flurry of arrests soon after LMC came to power; seven months later there’s just a whimper…

      Even with this Covid scandal, there will be a big fanfare now. Six months, one year from now it will be like nothing happened. The people involved will be quietly enjoying their ill gotten wealth – just like the DPP thieves

  49. Too little too late. That’s what happens when one is sleeping on the job. The audits still requires tax payers money. What a waste of resources. Disgusting!

    2. Go to hell! which DPP, the one with the Chisale Revenue Authority? The mismanagement of Covid funds through allowances started with the Jappie Mhangos. Your president then, Peter, was the one who just kept on sleeping on the job even after the revelation. Thumps up to O Chakwera, he has shown that he can listen and make the right decisions.

    5. DPP ikuombora bwanji panene ndiimene idayikamo akubawa ,cholinga wina azioneka olephera muthu wanzeru ngamati Dpp ndiombole ufiti chani

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