Donors suspend aid to Adra Malawi: Demand forensic audit
Traditional donors for Adventist Development Relief Agency (Adra) Malawi have suspended funding to the organisation sighting gross mismanagement of funds; lack of adherence to laid down procedures and protocols as well as pure incompetence on the part of current Acting Director (AD), Hastings Jabulani Lacha under the board chairmanship of Pastor Frackson Kuyama as some of the reasons for their decision.
According to an ‘External Review of Aspects of ADRA Malawi Operations’, which was undertaken in November 2019 by ADRA Africa, the management of Lacha has pushed ADRA Malawi to its weakest point in many years.
The review has recommended that Latcha’s contract as well as that of Financial Director (FD), Rexia Lipunga, should be allowed to expire and must not be renewed, and that a forensic audit be conducted by an independent audit firm based on the terms of reference that were developed in partnership with ADRA Africa.
Among other things the review, which was carried out by Dibden Chileya; Heidi Straw Camargo and Samuel Oyortey from ADRA Africa at the request of ADRA Australia; ADRA Denmark and ADRA Sweden, accused the organisation’s management of lacking financial discipline; non-adherence to best corporate governance practices and general incompetence.
“Although conducting an audit, or investigating irregular financial transactions was not part of the scope of this review, we uncovered multiple questionable activities in this area during our work,” read the report.
It adds that among some of the questionable transactions were irregularities around covering the costs and sourcing the materials for the 30th Anniversary celebrations; transferring of funds from a project that was closing at the end of June into an admin fund to pay for a staff retreat at the end of the year; single-sourcing a generator from the UK through a Hope Channel producer in a questionable manner, and weaknesses in keeping records of the board finance committee.
The report accuses Latcha of turning ADRA Malawi into some kind of personal fiefdom where he can do as he pleases, and often bypassing ADCOM in his decision making.
ADFCOM or Administration Committee (ADCOM) is the main administration committee tasked with deliberating and making key administration decisions for the organisation.
He is also faulted for favouritism and for systematically cleansing the organisation of all non-Seventh Day Adventist employees, which is against its hiring policy. This is evidenced by the removal of some key non Adventist staff such as Francis Zande, a darling of Australia; Edson Gunsaru, a darling of Denmark, who was removed from the Tikuferanji Production and Neema Kachali, Procurement and Logistics Manager who was not moved from her position only on matters of policy on procurement.
Reads the report in part: “By placing and removing persons at will, the role of the board and the confidence that can be placed in the deliberativeness and independence of ADCOM is undermined. It also created the appearance that the Acting Country Director was trying to ‘stack’ the membership with people who he felt were favourable to him and would let him do what he wanted.”
Other accusations for the Country Director (CD) border on unilateralism in decision making; personalising issues and the creation of silos of loyal staff members across departments.
A good example of this is the decision to relocate the headquarters of the organisation to Lilongwe.
“For such a momentous decision, the best practice would have been for ADCOM members to be engaged for a discussion over a period of time. Instead, information was given to ADCOM members that with effect from 1st January 2020 the ADRA head office will be relocating to Lilongwe from Blantyre, and yet the ADCOM TORs are explicit that the decision to relocate the office is a board level decision and that ADCOM can at most only recommend,” reads the report in part.
The report said Lacha generally developed a negative attitude towards the Tikufelanji TV program, which fell under the Denmark funded project Action for Social Change (AfSC), because it was highly identified with former Acting CD, Micheal Usi.
“The first was that a key staff member, Mass Media Technician Edson Gunsalu was verbally suspended in late April and then the Acting CD declared that his primary duty of producing the television show was removed until further notice,” said the report.
It said Lacha proceeded to switch the distribution channel for the program from Times Television to HOPE Channel without plausible justification, and without consultation with the organisation’s ADCOM.
“The decision of changing the contract from Times TV to Hope Channel does not directly appear as a minute within ADCOM. The details of the contract and any mention of discussions, or a report, or analysis being presented are not mentioned. There is also no record of ADCOM having approved the decision in a vote,” said the report.
The report also alleges that Lacha has a bad and untamed temper, which is always flaunted un-relentlessly against staff members and often times in public. This anger was even witnessed by the team which conducted the review last year.
“Hastings was feeling very threatened and that his credibility was being questioned. He is very unpredictable, and his reactions are very strong. He was very angry, and it was like ‘oh my goodness.’ The outright anger and frustration was ‘red-hot.’ We were worried for the office staff,” one team member is quoted to have confessed in the report.
“The Acting CD would take actions to confront or discipline staff without following the proscribed procedures. The situations of the FFH project staff, the media producer of AFSC project and the Logistics Manager are examples of this,” read part of the report adding that this is the type of attitude by Lacha which contributed to the creation of an unfavourable working environment at ADRA, including the resignation of a hardworking and vastly experienced Program Director (PD), Andiyesa Mhango on December 31, 2019.
The report also faulted board chair, Pastor Kuyama for contributing to the general deterioration of staff morale at the organisation in complicit with Latcha and other board members. It accused kuyama of lacking transparency and of not sharing some key information with members such as the information the resignation of Program Director and the decision to relocate the organisation’s head office to Lilongwe.
Pastor Kuyama, who is the head of Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) in Malawi, has also been accused of not declaring conflict of interest and of influencing the removal of qualified and experienced Nutrition Officer, Mercy Chakoma, from a project, and replacing her with his daughter, Pempho Kuyama, a position which she was not qualified for.
Reads part of the report: “The most noticeable of these was the employment of the board chair’s daughter under questionable circumstances and the way this conflict was not disclosed as required. Pempho Kuyama was named as the Gender Officer, but later the Acting CD said she was coming as the Nutrition Officer.”
The review generally found Kuyama’s leadership as chair of ADRA to be very weak and not helpful to the achievement of a strong organisation which is trusted by its stakeholders.
“In ADRA Malawi, the review team found an organization with new or acting leaders in the three key director positions of Country Director (CD), Programs Director (PD) and Finance Director (FD). Both our review, and interestingly the organizational analysis conducted during their strategic planning this year, found crucial gaps in systems, as well as a staff divided.
“It is our conclusion that, after this acting period of one year, the Acting CD and Acting FD do not show reason to believe that they are the correct persons to resolve these, and in some cases are the sources of it,” the report said.
Among some of the recommendations by the review team are that ADRA must identify a strong Country Director with substantial experience with other ADRA country offices, and one who understands ADRA systems.
“… The person should be calm, inclusive and consensus building and committed to helping the staffs reunify as a team. The person should have a track record of working successfully with the SDA church and be clear on how an ADRA office can best do that, while maintaining its proper role and independence. The person should have strong knowledge especially in the area of financial systems. The office needs new, diversified funding; as well as relationships with current donors needs to be repaired,” concludes the report.
ADRA Malawi has been in Malawi for 30 years, although it started its activities in 1982. Over the years, the organisation has implemented various projects, in the areas of Emergency Management & Resilience, Food Security and Livelihood, Education and Health and Advocacy and Communication for Social Change (CFSC).
The organisation has pioneered several advocacy programs including an award-winning radio program and a television show called ‘Tikuferanji’ which addressed issues of human rights, gender and democracy, among others.
The review of ADRA was carried out due to pressure from the laity of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which is one of the key stakeholders in the organisation with substantial interest. It followed pressure to investigate financial improprieties last year at the South Malawi Conference which revealed gross financial mismanagement leading to the suspension from office of the Executive Secretary, Patriarch Jb. Chaluchalu January 14, 2020.
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Ife amumpesa tikuziwa kuti sionse amene ali in the books of the church as SDA church members are living 100% according to the truth the Bible and SOP teaches. Anthu oterewa will soon be shaken out of the church and the church will be purified.
Zikungodandaulisa kuti nkhani zoterezi zikunyozesa dzina la Mulungu. If nkhaniyi siyowona then ADRA MW should come open and clear their image else……
You are very right on this National CEO! It happens at the Malamulo College of Health Sciences where they favour pastors’ daughters and send them to Maruti in Lesotho but upon return, they end up leaving Malamulo and go to other countries for greener pastures.
An insider has leaked this to Nyasatimes! Phwanyaphwanya ngati mpira wa akaidi. kkkkkkk
Koma Muluyu (lacha) mmene akuwonekeramu, akuwoneka wa uzimu kapena ngati mwana wa mdyerekezi? Ngakhale amati tisawelezu komabe ” Every face tells a story”
Kodi Kuyama si uja anapezeka ali mu ka bungwe ka azibusa kochemerera chipani cha DPP chaka chatha uja? Zikuwoneka ngati Satana akufuna kumupeta ngati tirigu. Chonde mbusa ameneyu akufunika mapemphero. Agulitsa mpingo ku Chirombo cha mbuku la Chibvumbulutso chija.
Sad development. Some people feels they own organisations forgetting they are also employed. Replacement of people with unqualified staff.
Something is not adding up somewhere…This sounds like gossip. Do I see an under hand of some hostile and frustrated people? The devise of the evil cannot work…History has taught us so.
As far as I know the Vines (Mpesa) this can not be a gossip. Why was this not happening when Usi was the CD? Change the leadership and make sure funds are not stolen. Also the tendency of favouring the children of pastors must stop. We don’t want ACB to be investigating the church.
Maiko atchulidwa apawa ndiopembedza mdyelekzi mwan’theladi ndipo ma office akulu ophikila zonse zaozo ali ku Birmingham UK
Ngakhale chachikhumi chikumabedwa ndiye mukuti maiko omwe akudana ndi kubawa ndi a satana? Ine mukuwona kwanga ndikuwona kuti Satana ali ku Malawi kuno.
Michael Usi at work with support from the donors. Their intention is to create a context for his return after he failed to make it big in politics. SHAME on ADRA.
Pakuti ntchito za Michael Usi zitsagana naye pamodzi. None of these issues are true. Usi has failed to nail it politically. He thinks he can return to ADRA by paying journalists to tarnish ADRA/SDA’s leadership. This mudslinging wont go anywhere. It is of no effect at all.
Mr Mbulumbuzi just keep quiet. Stealing and favouriitism is satanic. Deliverence needed.
This is foolishnes. These are the kicks of the dying horse Evil man called Pastor Chaluchalu who was removed from his office because of his dirty hands and undressing women. He is refusing to vacate the Office as well as the church house. We read his letter in which he said he will deal with pastor kuyama.This is a daylight revenge.
Watch out , people fear him that he is a WTCH Unconverted pastor who also cheated about his qualifications.He doesn’t have school papers but he cheated the church
Nyansatimes be careful taking these issues from these idiots who disgruntled. Chaluchalu was fighting against Pastor Maunjri so that he should be the Conference President.
Fake pastor Chaluchalu deserve to be fired. Evict him by force from the institution house Lock it and delete him from pay roll he is a f shit of fake pastor. Zimamveka kuti kukonda Azikazi a eeni Mkulu ameneyu.
Please clean your house so that the donors can start giving back. We don’t support stealing.
The forensic audit should not only cover Lachas term of office but also Michael USi’s term.
ADRA donors liked Usi so much because of his acting funny side but what the donors did not know was that Usi was doing so many underhand deals that helped him to build mansions in Nyambadwe and other low density areas in BT beyond his earnings as a director of ADRA.
ADRA has been a conduit of thievery by people who profess to be God fearing, and am not surprised to hear that even the leader of the SDA church in Malawi, pastor Kuyama is involved.
Pastor Kuyama is loved by many SDA followers because of his preaching skills and his pretence to look like a humble person…….however what most SDA members don’t know is that Pastor Kuyama would do anything for the love of money.
I could have given so many examples here but out of respect I won’t, all I can say to him though is that please do the right thing and resign before every dirt comes out. Please resign with immediate effect and get converted to be a true Christian.
Usi like all smart managers amaba koma organization kumayenda bho bho. Koma mbuzi like DPP thugs or Lacha they ground organization. Mpaka ma donors kututumuka. Olo kwa azungu nepotism iliko, koma zachimbumbuli, za chichacha, chilomwe ndi izi dziko osayenda.
Mukunamatu inu.
CDs sometimes behave as if they nobody to control them…there is one lady CD in Malawi who behaves like that. I wont mention her but this should serve as an example for other CDs to change….anthu akufinyika
I know that lady CD…. She does politics too. People are running away from that INGO because of her character.
Osangomutchula bwanji!?
ADRA
azibusa board members, timadabwatu ma bizimisi.
lacha ndi dhilotu makina omanga ndi nyesi. ndangodusamotu etiii.
ce Kuyama m busa eee
Lacha and abusa Kuyama ndi mbava zachabechabe Adra please do not reinstate the aid until these two are fired. Kuyama employed his daughter with no good qualifications
When Malawians see how rotten their government is, how easy it is to benefit from corrupt practices, some follow the government lead, looting, breaking rules and laws, abusing their fellow Malawians…so this is no surprise!
Move on Mr Zande, ADRA is larger than you and your wife Mercy Chakoma
I just hope that if Lacha is found guilty then the appropriate action will be be taken. Unfortunately Pastor Kuyama has double standards and he will try to cover Lacha. Lacha fired Someone who experience and replaced with the the daughter of Pastor Kuyama.
Yes your report is an eye opener. IT is sad to note that Lacha is also a womaniser . Most of the women at ADRA Malawi have been abused. They have been keeping quiet because they were afraid of losing their jobs.
That just confirms that Dr Michael Usi aka Manganya is brainy. Ndi zomwe tikuziwonanso ku Airtel. Under Dr Chilima kumakhala ma promotion like nothing, network was perfect and Airtel customers hip increased significantly. This is truly a winning team. Let’s watch what will come of Malawi when these guys showcase their skills towards the development of the nation
Bambo a Sikono ndi dolo.
Osanamizana, apa ndiye ndachita manyazi ndizochita za abwana a ADRA, Pastor Kuyama! You ought to have led by example as a pastor, to win souls, koma iii, apa ndiye mwamupatsa Satana Mdyerekezi matama! I am really disappointed! N’kukhalanso President of the SDA Church in Malawi. Too bad. I am not perfect either, but do not copy what these politicians are doing, heaping euerything for themselves. Such acts are tarnishing the image of the SDA Church.
My brother, you cannot believe everything at face value. This is political machinations of a frustrated Michael Usi and his friends. If you dig deeper into the story you will find that there is nothing like this at ADRA. Usi is paying people to smear people with rubbish.
Mbulumbuzi, have you read the report? Was the report wiritten by Usi? Why don’t you read the report first before making that conclusion?
Sorry….
the organisation is rotten. they have bullshit procurement process which is very questionable. staff collude with suppliers and share profits. maybe the CD was partaking in the same but his leadership affected not only workers but also other external people. let him go and shud never be employed anywhere. andiyese mhango was so good. she is practical and really hard working. go to her house to witness this. why fire here. agalu
MANGANYA AKALOWATU APA!
The story is biased and lacks real truth because I believe it’s the views of a confused member of adra under the influence of someone who left adra after squandering money for political campaign. So things didn’t work according to his plan and wants to go back to adra. Unfortunately, no well reasoning board members can entertain this rubbish. Look at how he concludes his story by giving criteria for qualified CD which directs to the same guy who left adra on immoral behaviour. Watchera Ku mwezi nkhanga zaona. Kuyama has been a board chair for over 9 years why only this time after you have left. How many non SDA members are there–many with big positions. No way can chair or CD dictate issues of adra under the well qualified and experienced board members. If you are an honest person just come to open and follow the right procedures in order to substantiate your claims and not hiding behind the times. That’s the work of the cowards. You have exhausted all the gossips with donors but to no avail. Come out from the hiding and face the truth head-on
The question that should be answered is : Is it true that the donors have suspended their donations?
No donations suspended. All this is the work of a frustrated Usi.
Ngati simukuwopa kuba chachikhumi cha Yehova chomwe ndi chopatulika kuli bwanji zaulere zolandirazi? Mu church muli amphawi ambiri koma afarisi ndi alembi omwe akudyerera.
The question is: Is there a report to that effect?