Chilima says tractorgate apology not enough, wants beneficiaries to be prosecuted
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 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.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
chilima zowona kungosala ndi machende komanso aphwinyilira kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk usova
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.
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
THE WORLD FAVOURS THE WICKED /EVIL —-CHILIMA AND CHAKWERA BRAVO GUYS — KEEP THE FIRE BURNING – MOST OF US ARE COWARDS !!
From VP to Chief Lova. Chaka sichinathe mwayamba kale kutuwa chonchi. Nanga patathere zaka 5? Ndiye bola Atupele analimbatu.
Koma eeeh. Zoona.
Chilima wayamba kuchakachika already?
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.
Past immediate lova seeking attention.
Mwati ndevu zafika ngati ndani?
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.
Lova wasowa chonena iwe Chilima. Just shut up.