Clerk of Parliament Katopola recalled to office
Beleaguered Clerk of Parliament Matilda Katopola has been recalled from her forced leave, following President Joyce Banda’s observation in her letter to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) on Monday that there are no enough grounds for her to be on the Speaker’s sanctioned “absence without leave.”
Katopola was sent on forced leave on PSC’s recommendation to the President in May during the first week of the sitting of the National Assembly.
The Nyasa Timesunderstands that PSC, the disciplinary body of the country’s sole legislature, recalled her on Tuesday during a meeting after agreeing with the President’s comment.
It remains to be seen if Katopola, who is yet to be indicted on charges of abuse of office, will resume work at a station that is presently riddled with unpredictable political volatility following her record of plunder and iron grip on power during the Mutharika administration.
Katopola, who was expected in court on Wednesday last week, was immediately released on police bail after the initial police interrogations on June 26.
Meantime police have said they are yet to finalise investigations into the case of Katopola who was arrested in June and charged with abuse of office.
Katopola while on forced leave made revelations that some senior government officials want her out of office to pave way for former Director of Public Prosecution, Ishmael Wadi, to take over her post.
On June 26, she appeared at National Police Headquarters at Area 30 in the capital Lilongwe before Fiscal Police where she quizzed on many procurement irregularities.
According to sources, the Clerk of Parliament was quizzed on the infamous Monick trends, a firm that Katopola owns, which was embroiled in procurement and supply abnormality.
Political Machinations
Many a politicians do not want her to remain at the helm of the secretariat of the National Assembly after her repulsive behaviour of meeting late President Bingu wa Mutharika where she took orders and diktats from the State House.
“Mrs Katopola wronged one too many people and I don’t expect her to last if she returns to the National Assembly. In the spirit of camaraderie, the consensus of the whole membership of the National Assembly agreed in a manner of gentleman’s agreement to relieve her.
“However, untactful PSC was too naïve and careless in sending her on forced leave. Procedurally the Government would have coughed a lot of money to compensate her,” said one analyst in Lilongwe.
“Katopola is better off pursuing her case than returning to work. She stands to gain more if she turned down the offer to return to work,” the analyst concluded when asked if it would be wise of Katopola to return to work in these circumstances.
101 Corruption Allegations
In response to President Banda’s call for submission of corrupt practices in public entities a whistle blower has exposed maladministration, corruption, nepotism and abuse of office at the Malawi National Assembly.
In a submission to the President the whistle blower has chronicled a series of scandals mainly bordering on Katopola.
On top of various scams the submission also exposes how Katopola using her power employed several of her relatives at the National Assembly.
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