Chilima speaks on K53bn ‘Uniform-gate’: Karim Batawarara denting Malawi govt’s image

State Vice President Saulos Chilima has said only a mad person would buy a belt at K100 000 and a shirt at K60 000 and has asked authorities to properly investigate the infamous   profiteering in the controversial K53 billion Immigration uniforms supply deal christened as  ‘Uniform gate’ scandal at the Immigration department.

“It will only be a mad man who will buy a belt at K100 000 and a T- shirt at K60 000. This is pure theft. I would like to ask those investigating this issue to go to the very end of this  and the people involved should be prosecuted,” said Chilima.

Addressing a news conference in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Chilima said there are several corruption scandals that he would want to talk about in a few days time and the ‘unformgate’ is one of them.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has since expressed fears of profiteering in the Immigration uniforms supply deal after noting exorbitant prices for items like gloves at K60 000.

PAC chairperson Alekeni Menyani said his committee has cast doubt at some claims in the deal such as a single uniform shirt for an Immigration officer pegged at about K60 000 and in some cases a belt quoted at K100 000.

The committee also invited the two contracted companies—Africa Commercial Agency and Reliance Trading Company—that are demanding K53.9 billion for a K9 billion contract to supply uniforms and other accessories to the Immigration Department through a 2012 contract. Delivery, however, only started five years later.

The two companies are owned by controversial businessman Abdul Karim Batawarara.

Recently, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) wrote President Peter Mutharika to intervene in the matter.