Chaponda shunned in own home Mulanje after Malawi maizegate: Cuts a grumpy figure as China handsover boreholes

Beleagured Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Minister George Chaponda could not believe his eyes when his own people from his Mulanje south constituency shunned what was highly billed as a highly profile meeting at Mendulo Primary school in Mulanje.

Chaponda, under fire for failing to step down to allow smooth investigations on his role on suspected underhand acquisition of maize from Zambia, was expected to officially receive boreholes sunk by the Chinese government on Monday afternoon.

The Cabinet minister,  who was suspended by High Court,  was frustrated with the low patronage at the event and  appeared to be in a glum mood.

The crowd could not reach  100 people at the event and pictures show a bitter Chaponda showing a sad face as he looked into the small crowd.

“All I can say is that things are not really going well for the minister at the moment, this event has just disgraced him further,” said one analyst.

Chaponda is accused over  alleged fraudulent transactions that  Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) was involved in when purchasing maize from Zambia.

Malawi is accused of using a middleman,  Zambia private company Kaloswe Commuter and Courier Ltd, instead of dealing with Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZFC), a government agency.

But  Chaponda claims Admarc is dealing with ZFC and that Malawi has not even paid anymoney because  Zambia has delivered less than 5 000 metric tonnes of maize.

Social media dig

Social media has been awash with satire about the escapades of Chaponda with various jokes and innuendos about the name of the minister.

His name has replaced the name maize in Malawi as anything to do with maize is being referred to as ‘Chaponda’.

Below are some of the jokes that are taking a dig at the disgraced minister:

“Ine ndili phee panyumba kudya Chaponda wanga” literally meaning ‘I am enjoying eating my roast maize at home’.

A man woke up and shouted “HolyGhostFire!!

“Wife: what is it, was lion chasing you?.
Man: that would have been better.
Wife: what is it then
Man: I saw Chaponda in our maize field in my dream
Wife: Blood of Jesus! Honey, lets pray.

 The current ‘Chaponda prices’ in Lilongwe

Vendors:K11,000/50kg

ADMARC: K12, 500/50Kg

Chaponda wa Dowe
Chachiwitsi-K70/cob
Chootcha-K100/cob
Chophika-K80/cob

Kugaitsa Chaponda
Mitengo yovomeledzeka agwilizana mawa a association

 *Chaponda( Noun )* _meaning to ‘ step on without regard to peoples feelings, while benefitting oneself immensely_

*’verb ( ponda )* _act of stealing, especially with regards to abuse of authority, normally when the ‘ ponderer ‘ has far much power than the ‘ apondees’ like plebians, slaves etc_

 

 

 

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