Chilima says tractorgate apology not enough, wants beneficiaries to be prosecuted

July 15, 2019 Wongani Chiuta - Nyasa Times 34 Comments

UTM Party president Saulos Chilima has said beneficiaries of the flawed procurement and disposal of archaic farm equipment purchased using $50 million (about K37 billion) borrowed funds in 2012  christened as Tractorgate, be prosecuted and recover taxpayers’ money.

Chilima: The beneficiaries should be prosecuted

Chilima said  this at a political rally he addressed in Mangochi at St Augustine 3 Primary School Ground following government’s regret over the Tractorgate.

He saidthat the apology is not enough as resources were abused and there is need to account for them.

“People who are involved in the tractor deal are known and still alive. They should be brought to book because the tractors were brought using a loan which Malawians  will continue to pay.

“Apologising in public is not enough to stop corruption,” said Chilima, an immediate past vice-president.

In February this year, the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal backed the Ombudsman and ruled that the two public officers [PSs]should issue “a public apology for buying equipment that was archaic and sitting idle and deteriorating, thus unnecessarily indebting Malawians and for the illegal selling of the tractors”.

Ruling on the appeal, the Supreme Court said the Ombudsman’s Office acted within its mandate by ordering the respective offices to comply with its order for a public apology on how they managed the procurement and disposal.

Besides the apology, the Ombudsman, in a 48-page October report titled ‘The Present Toiling, The Future Overburdened’, also recommended prosecution of the members of the internal procurement committee (IPC) and “those who presided over the sale of the farm machinery and benefited from the sale should be prosecuted in accordance with the Procurement Act”.

The farm equipment was bought using part of the $50 million line of credit from Export-Import Bank of India with the aim of facilitating mechanisation of agriculture in the country.

The farm machinery in question included 100 tractors and 144 maize shellers. In total, 177 tractors were bought for distribution to agriculture development divisions (ADDs) to enable smallholder farmers graduate to mechanisation by hiring the equipment.

However, only 77 tractors were distributed to ADDs while 100 were sold.

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34 replies on “Chilima says tractorgate apology not enough, wants beneficiaries to be prosecuted”

  2. Amalawi kupusa why mukulimbana ndi chilima kuondakuonda imeneyo ikhale nkhani?? Mbava zanu zinazi mmene zimabwela kuno kuchokela ku amarica zimaoneka mmene zilili pano? Chilima mnyamata wathu wa mommuno mmalawi,simungamunamize and let me tell you he is the next president of this bleeding nation.Ben phiri,Nankhumwa anali mmene alili pano? Ndiye muwaonatu posachedwapa.

  3. I like this Malawian he is straight with issues while others watch and talk rhetoric. The court initiated the process but surely who eats an apology when poor Malawians toil hard with holes. We can do better in farming;even nthawi ya Mose people used ploughs and ridgers. We are archaic to perceive Chilima sentiment negatively. Let us be objective, am also a public servant and I know how much cash will go into drain if prosecution will be overlooked. Its never too late for justice chifukwa mlandu suwola. Just thinking loud

  5. From VP to Chief Lova. Chaka sichinathe mwayamba kale kutuwa chonchi. Nanga patathere zaka 5? Ndiye bola Atupele analimbatu.

  6. Guys SKC zikuoneka kuti zinthu sizikuyendapo apa. Kuonda komanso ndevu choncho. SKC ndimamudziwa ine handsome uja siameneyi mmmm. Campaign yamukolola ndalama zonse akuchita kuoneka kuti wasowa pogwira munthuyu. Amene anamulangiza kuti achoke mu DPP anamuloza ndithu.

  9. Koma anthu mulibe chisoni ndithu. Ma tractor mmalo moti apindulire aliyense ndi anthu aku mudzi, zoona kungogawanagawana. Ife tizilipira ngongole imeneyi ndi misonkho yathu, God should punish all those who benefited these tractors. Makala amoto akhale pa mitu yanu ndi ma banja anu onse.

  11. Tractors were sold by PP government whose members are now in bed with your friend Chakwera and MCP.

  12. Kodi bwana SKC munasowatu. Welcome back. Kodi nkhani ya corruption ku BWB ndi RBM munatilonjeza kuZomba and Njamba ija bwanji, tikudikiratu timve mvemvemve or was it just another hot air?

  13. AKULUWA NDE AFIKA PA SAVIMBI , NDEVUZO SANGAMETEKE ZAFIKA POSOWA NDALAMA YAKU BARBERSHOP ULOVA SIZINTHU ETI

  14. Bwana Chilima munthu ukamaonda sibwino kusunga ndevu umaoneka ngati anyezi okuti wangozulidwa kumene mdonthi..koma nkhaniyo nde mwanena yoona

    1. Akamayankhula azidziwa kuti azimzake omwe ali ku UTM nawonso adapindula, ndiye akuziika mpeni munthiti

  15. Big up Saulos Chilima!!!!! But you too should refund our tax payers money which you have been receiving when you were not working for the government. You left and formed your party but kept on using government resources to fund your movement hiding in the name of Constitution and we demand your apology on the same. Do you hear me Araffat Hamdan?

  16. Home boy wa JB ,
    George nkondiwa. Eish mwamuiwala ku Education nde anasakazakotu.
    Manyumba ali naoo, ma warehouse plus free scot ku India amafuna kutibweretsera cipukwano kuja.
    Mataxes athu anakokola kutenga zidzukulu, nieces and nephews and his kids all in canada. Which salary now?????
    Nanga ndi bushili!!!! Ife ma juniors ku capital hill kumangoyangana. Tinenenji a kavuwevuwe ife.
    Nanga right hand wa Jb ,Odillo tisamuiwale .
    Mxiiiii. Ndege anaigulitsa jb .ndalama zake njoka inatenga weleee mmadzi.
    Stinking system palibe anagwidwapo.

  17. former speaker of parliament was part of this, where does it leave us when the opposition and ruling elites agree to rob us blind?

  21. My leader My President ndimveleniko .thee is a saying an empty tin makes alot of noise why cant to recharge in silence…then come bk with s bang…..we need to sit down and stratehise as UTM

    1. Tractors were sold during PP government and not DPP….most of the beneficiaries of the tractors were Principal Secretaries and Directors in Capital Hill e.g. George Nkondiwa, Alex namaona, Dr Finds etc and PP senior officials…. DPP never benefitted it was out of power

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