Dausi calm civil society over Malawi/Zambia ‘maizegate’: Let commission of inquiry bring ‘tangible’ results

Minister of Information, Communication and ICT, Nicholous Dausi has advised leaders of civil society organisations (CSOs) to be calm and wait for the results of the ‘maizegate’ commission of inquiry before making fresh demands on the issue.

Dausi said this in reaction to the CSOs demands to include them in the commission of inquiry as well as some members of parliament.

The CSOs have shown no confidence in the commission appointed by President Peter Mutharika two days ago.

“Let us wait for the commission to do its job and bring, tangible, substantive and satisfactory results,” said Dausi.

He said it is unfair to judge the commission as impartial when it has not even started its job or has just started its work.

The CSOs also demand that Admarc drops an injunction against Times Group stopping the publishers from publishing any story concerning the Zambia maize deal.

“Admarc should not gag the Times Group. People should follow on the maize issue without any hindrance,” said Robert Mkwezalamba, who is leading National Advocacy Platform, a grouping of 18 civil society groups who have joined hands to put pressure on Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda to resign.

Mkwezalamba said corruption should not be tolerated at any level especially now that the economy is bedridden.

Chaponda has been named along with Foster Mlumbe, the Admarc CEO as suspects in the 100000 metric tonne maize saga.

But Chaponda has refused to resign over the matter which has potential to bring down the Peter Mutharika administration.

The purchase of the maizemade from K26 billion which government borrowed from the PTA Bank.