Chakwera differs with State House on dismissing ‘hotelgate’ as fake: Backs probe
President Lazarus Chakwera has differed with his media and communications team at State House for rushing to dismiss a Nyasa Times story on payments to Crossroads Hotel for $300 a night accommodation for foreign guests, saying he welcomes Anti-Corruption bureau (ACB) investigations into the alleged abuse of public funds.
The presidential press secretary Brian Banda said State House could not make a comment on the matter when the story was revealed as this would be “dignifying fake news” that would not be of interest to Malawians.
But Chakwera after Crossroads Hotel has confirmed that State House paid K12.5 million for accommodation for four guests at its Lilongwe unit, has backed the investigations “to separate facts from fiction on the basis of evidence so that Malawians can be assured of the truth from an objective perspective that is free of interference from interested parties.”
Banda said “it has come to the attention of the President that the allegations of abuse of funds at State House will be the subject of an inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.”
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Gift Trapence said it was “utterly, utterly wrong for State House to first dismiss the mater as fake and then later started giving contradicting information.”
One of the hotel’s directors Sameer Sacranie confirmed that State Residences paid a cheque of K12.5 million from a State House account.
The other bills were being settled by cash from State House guests who were booked at the Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe in July under the name Miguel Elias of Chitundu Distributors based in Blantyre – a staunch supporter of Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The four guests were still at the hotel but have moved from $300 per night rooms to one at $90 per night.
Meanwhile, Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka has said the civil society organisations are “comforted” by the fact that the graft-busting body has already instituted investigations into the matter.
He said the “conflicting information” between State House and Crossroads Hotel on the matter is raising more questions than answers.
Initially, Crossroads Hotel’s management had dismissed the allegations that it had received payment from State House before reportedly withdrawing the statement and indicating that it had received a K12.5 million cheque from the same client.
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A chakwera zikukanikani kutafuna
Dpp mthalika mmamunyoza
Nanga izo
Ana ku university mpaka pano no changes.
2025 tizayese Chilima basi
If malawian leaders will keep on defending for their evils, trully no positive change will ever exist in malawi. it is now becoming clear that money squandering is a routine in government system and it`s no longer leadership but satisifying personal needs using already poor malawians.
Trapence and his bodyguards, Charles and his crew all dive head first whenever a bad act is committed by non Malawian (in this case crossroads) however I haven’t seen both these people condeming the arsonists attacks on kumbali. It clearly shows that they have an agenda. A nursery that gave free education to the same village, a training farm that trained Malawian all about organic farming…and yet trapence and his people stay quiet. Aren’t they humans as well trapence?
Excellent Mr President. If all is well so be it so
Kamwa lambodza limamunyada cchauta
Awa anawoneka kale Kuti palibe chabwino..kuthawa chipembezo
Amalawi ambili sadziwa zobisikaza za ndichifukwa chiyani maiko ochuluka amalisala dziko la Israel,
Koma Chakwelayo akudziwa bwino.
Amalawiwa akanakhala amazitsatila bwinolomwe ngati momwe alili aZambia ena ndi kwambili South Afrika
Palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe akanamuthandizila Chakwela.
Ndizachabe waziyambazi.
This Chakwera won’t last 5 years. You back thieves you embolden them. Ask Apm,Joyce Banda, Bakili it will get out of hand and ruin your name as these peoples misdeeds are tied to the presidency. These people won’t stop and others will also start. This will be worse
Zaka 5 amaliza. Kwinako ayi.
Opusa tikhale ife okavotafe nde tidzayankhano 2025.
IZI ZODIAK SI NKHANI ONANSO AMATEMBA AKUTI FIGURE 1,2TRILLION WILL GO DOWN KOMA ZODIAK INALI NUMBER NKHANI LERO KULI ZIII KOMA A MARIA CHIDZANJA NDI AGOSPEL AMBUYE AKUONENI
Adya banzi makape, a brian banda kuoneka ngati anzeru ndi a kasakula zili nsanje anthu oyipa, a mtambo kuoneka ngati okonda dziko lawo lili dyera ana a njoka..God will reward you with a thick hand of wrath