CSOs interprets that Chaponda has implicated President Mutharika in Zambia maize saga

Civil society organisations (CSOs) have called on President Peter Mutharika to come out and spell out his role in the Zambia maize saga.

A representative of CSOs  Robert Mkwezalamba said the embattled Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda has constantly mentioned Mutharika in the whole maize saga.

Chaponda told the parliamentary inquiry that he met Zambia’ President Edgar Lungu at the order of Mutharika as a special envoy to the Zambia President.

Mkwezalamba also said pronouncements of Mutharika shows the President knows more on the maize saga.

“He has some information on the matter. He has to come up with a statement on the issue,” said Mkwezalamba.

Presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalirani could not comment on the matter.

But Chaponda told the members of parliament that he went to Zambia to negotiate on the maize matters with the full blessing of the President.

Zambia opposition leader Saviour Chishimba also told the parliamentary inquiry from Malawi that Mutharika had a role in the maize deal that has gone sour between Admarc and two Zambian companies —Kaloswe Commuters and Courier Limited and Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF).

So far, the inquiry has managed to expose anomalies in the way the government wanted to procure the 100 metric tonnes of the maize but it is yet to be proved how Chaponda and Admarc CEO  Foster Mulumeb were engaged in suspicious dealings in the procurement of the Zambia maize.

The purchase of the maize by the Malawi government was meant to salvage a hunger situation that threatened 6.5 million people at its peak late last year.

Questions have been raised as to why Admarc bought maize at a higher price across the border when it could have sourced affordably locally.