CSOs asks Malawi govt to have logical conclusion of Cashgate cases

Civil Society organisations trading under the umbrella of National Taskforce on Millennium Development Goals, on Thursday pressed Government to conclude all cashgate cases to win back donors confidence.

Malawi fell out of grace from the donor community following the looting of K92Billion from 2009 to 2012 and K13.6Billion from 2012 to 2014. The gruesome theft left Malawi Government in bad books with the donor community.

But despite Baker Tilly forensic report giving full details of names involved in the looting, only few suspects have been convicted.

National coordinator of the taskforce, who is also programme manager for Council for Non Government organisation (Congoma) Simekinala Kaluzu, told reporters that the group is very disappointed with the pace which government is taking on the conclusion of the matter.

“What we are seeing is the dilly-dallying which is happening on the part of government side. We are asking government to conclude all cases because justice delayed is justice denied,” said Kaluzi.

Kaluzi was flanked by Godfrey Mkandawire, Victor Maulidi from NGO Gender Coordination Network and Robert Mkwezalamba of Human Rights Consultative Committee.

Mkwezalamba said donors cannot come back unless all overarching issues surrounding cashgate are thoroughly concluded.

The CSOs also announced that this year’s International Conference on financing for Development (FFD3) will be taking place in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia from 13 to 16 July, 2015.

The conference is set to focus on assessing the progress made in the implementation of the monetary Consensus and the Doha Declaration and identifying obstacles and constraints encountered in the achievement.