Deal with K92bn DPP-era cashgate, opposition calls on Malawi President

Malawi opposition and human rights campaigners have said President Peter Mutharika should deal with the K92 billion cashgate corruption scandal which occurred during the DPP reign alongside the K20 billion looting which continued under the Peoples Party (PP).

Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHHR) official Makhumbo Munthali said the group applauds Mutharika on the remarkable steps his government was taking on dealing with K20 billion Cashgate but noted with dismay that the President in his state of the nation address in parliament did not touch on what steps his government was putting in place to come to the bottom of K92 billion cashgate following German government’s pledge to support the forensic audit.

“Malawians expect that the two matters (K92 billion and K13 billion cashgates) should be earnestly investigated, prosecuted and brought to their finality without favour,” Munthali said.

CHRR said it is disheartening that the government has not come out in the open to unveil the steps it has taken to come to the bottom of the K92 billion cashgate which the German government offered a helping hand for investigations.

The opposition leaders in parliament have also slammed the Mutharika government of being reluctant in probing the K92 billion cashgate under the DPP rule.

The opposition feel there is selective prosecution on cashgate as ruling DPP members are given amnesty.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarous Chakwera said efforts to address cashgate head on and root out its causes are not satisfactory.

“ We are not impressed by the President’s claims of a crackdown on cash gate style corruption when he remains silent about the 92 billion kwacha scandal previously perpetrated under the watch of his own party,” said Chakwera who is also leader of opposition.

Following the Cashgate revelations, donors withdrew aid and Malawi has been operating on a zero-aid budget, a situation that has caused misery to Malawians economically.

In his speech, PP parliamentary leader Uladi Mussa accused Mutharika’s “silence” on why donors are still withholding aid.

Mussa said “the issue that will unlock aid is a probe in the K92 billion. Why is this government failing to do the needful? “