Civil Society faults ‘muted’ Mutharika on Malawi Savings Bank saga

Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) on Saturday took a swipe at President Peter Mutharika for being silent on issues involving the controversial  the sale of Malawi Savings Bank (MSB).

The CSOs leaders made the statements in Lilongwe when they held a news conference, renewing the claims that  the move to sale the state-owned bank is aimed at settling debts of “greedy politicians and businessmen.”

CSOs led by human rights activist Billy Mayaya,  who was flanked by Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation(CHRR) boss Timothy Mtambo and Centre for the Development of People(CEDEP) director Gift Trapence urged Mutharika to come out and speak on the issue.

“He is a Malawi President but it has been a common practice to see him remaining mute on crucial issues of national importance,” said Trapence.

The CSOs have make fresh calls asking Mutharika government not to sell the people’s bank, saying failing to resolve this issue will generate into CSOs mobilizing Malawians in all the three regions and hold country wide anti-government demonstrations.

They have called for forensic audit into the bank while blaming the bank management over the mess at MSB.

The CSOs have also called upon Parliament to among others summon Minister of Finance, Secretary to the Treasury and Public and Private Partnership Commission to appear before the House and explain issues surrounding the sale.

The CSOs also called on government, which recently unveiled plans to issue K6 billion promissory notes to clear the bank’s toxic assets, to, instead, seize assets of businesses and individuals who owe billions to the bank.

Recentlym, the activistsy led hundreds of Malawians in Lilongwe in protest against the controversial sale of MSB and the decision by government to bail out some individuals and private companies by settling over K6 billion of toxic assets owed to the bank.

Meanwhile, the CSOs have requested immediate transfer of the MSB Chief Executive Officer, Ben Bonongwe.