Escom confirms K1.6bn theft of electricity generator fuel: ‘Malawi VP statement a matter of fact’
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom)has confirmed United Transformation Movement president and State vice-president Saulos Chilima allegations that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has stolen K1.6 billion worth of fuel from the power generators.
The power utility publicist Innocent Chitosi said the three million litres worth of fuel was siphoned off at its offfices in Lilongwe and Blantyre.
“The fuel was stolen between January and June this year. There is a syndicate that was stealing the fuel,” said Chitosi.
He, however, claimed that some guards and transporters were conniving with some officials to siphon off the fuel.
The vice-president Chilima told a fired up UTM mass rally in Blantyre on Sunday that there is rot at Escom where DPP officials were in free for all theft of Escom property including the fuel, an allegation that the DPP has vehemently denied.
This comes barely days after the graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) stopped an immediate business deal to the powerful and elite DPP officials to provide alarms in Escom worth K220 million.
DPP officials are also entangled in a K9.3 billion deal at Escom.
Chilima said once the UTM and himself gets into power, he will immediately stop corruption at Escom.
Recently, an audit report of the fiscal year 2016/17 – prepared by former Aiditor General Stevenson Kamphasa – exposed that Escom ordered goods valued at K8.3 billion from about 23 suppliers without following internal procurement procedures and without the knowledge of key management .
“Out of the K8.3 billion ordered items, the Corporation only needed K3.2 billion of the items ; rendering the remaining K5.1 billion useless,” says the report on part.
The power utility continued to acquire the old three-phase meters despite embarking on a project to migrate customers from post-paid to prepaid billing through introduction of meters mounted on electricity poles to phase out the old three-phase system, according to the findings of the audit.
“A total of 24 550 meters valued at K1.8 billion were received in March and April 2019, But only 330 items valued at K23 million were issued from stores in the last 12 months to June 2017,” reads the report.
Escom board chairperson Thom Mpinganjira told a news conference recently that “there were serious misprocurement process” at the Corporation.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has stopped Escom from awarding a contract worth K219,757,578.66 meant to install car-tracking systems on Escom vehicles from the Southern Region.
ACB has confirmed that it received an anonymous complaint that Escom did not follow the right procedures in awarding the contract.
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The K1.6 billion will not appear in the 2019 financial statements as fraudulent transaction or wasteful expenditure because this was a well orchestrated fraud intense to fleece Malawians out of their taxes kitty. This is national tragedy and Malawians are taking this like normal. Malawians have now been beaten so much that violence and fraud is now normalised and no longer kick them into action other than expressing their anger via social and traditional media. This is an indictment on all of us for allowing our own politicians entrusted with our crown jewels to loot like mad. we have allowed them to divert our attention to innocent drivers and security guards to face the music on their and let the masters go scot free. Are Malawians really normal, I may ask. We seem to be fast asleep like zombies and no wonder politicians are taking full advantage of us. They are not the problem but rather us. we need to introspect and stop to hide behind the media or SCOs or ACB.
Only through citizen activism would all this looting nonsense stop and those invested in political would lose their money. They would have learnt a lesson never ever to do it again. Citizens need to be smarter than what we have ben all along. Malawians seem to be inert and when things go wrong they cry foul. Its our fault and nobody else. Uneducated and not-so-smart people are bale to deep their hands into govt coffers knowing that they’ll get away with it. How more foolish can Malawians be?
3 Million Liters is two much and it is doubtful if the supplier physically supplied the product. Most likely, the product was not supplied but documents were delivered. Just thinking outside the box.
I cry for my Nation, Lord help us!!! 1.6 billion worth of fuel and why has no one been arrested and if it wasn’t for Chilima saying something during his rallies could we have known this. wake up Malawi!!!!!!!! wake up Malawi!!!!!! lets fight for our nation by voting right may 2019.
No wonder ESCOM is very inefficient in delivery of its services. How can the only company that supplies electricity power to the whole nation be registering losses in its financial statements? Corruption is the lifeblood of this institution and this dark blood must be drained off.
Dont be fooled . All these other parties will do the same. How do you expect they will recover all the money that they are spending in campaigns if not stealing from government. Mia is spending millions of his personal money because he knows that once he is in power the vicious circle of stealing and contract awarding will go on. Dont be fooled that any politician will change anything.
TRUE
Only through citizen activism would all this looting nonsense stop and those invested in political would lose their money. They would have learnt a lesson never ever to do it again. Citizens need to be smarter than what we have ben all along. Malawians seem to be inert and when things go wrong they cry foul. Its our fault and nobody else. Uneducated and not-so-smart people are bale to deep their hands into govt coffers knowing that they’ll get away with it. How more foolish can Malawians be?
For those who follow international news, RSA President Ramaphosa has just highlighted economic interventions to strengthen the economy. That’s evidence that although he was vice president he was unable to implement his policies until he took over from Corrupt Zuma
Ramaphosa only wants votes, do u know what happens when white owned land is taken without compasation? Check me!
All this happening under the chairmanship of Thom Mpinganjira who happens to be from Mulhakho. Zoti akuluwa ndi ophunzira komanso amumpesa !!!!!!!!
Another misreported and supposed corruption scandal. Where has Chilima been all this time?
Iwe ndiwe opusa kwambiri mbuzi yamunthu. Ndinu anthu aja muvotelebe DPP despite all the foolish mistakes. Think before you write nonsense, mbuzi.
Are u serious? Did u just write that it is misreported? Koma anthu kupusa bwanji. Don’t you know about the black market of prepaid meters at Escom that one has to pay 40 grand to get a meter. Where do u think the meters are coming from? Koma some people dont follow nkhani
A haven for DPP thieves. On a separate note, did I hear the EGENCO Board Chairperson is Lloyd Muhara? If so, how can a civil servant chair a parastatal? Otherwise who is Thom Mpinganjira’s counterpart?
Abale, kuba kosachita nako manyazi?
Abale inu koma muba zinthu mwati kupopa mpaka 3 million litres inu mudziwe maina anacondom onse sure
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Dpp has been and is still treating malawi and its citizenry as a deceased estate. The problem is political leadership or lack of, which alot of us have been vocal about it for along time but people like Santana and Hatton ( if they are not one) have been saying our brains are full of mucous. If this thing called president is innocent as he always try to make everyone believe, how could all this rot happen under his nose? Did those who voted for him did so for him be a statue at the state house? Wasn’t it only yesterday when he said Malawians are full of hatred, so he want us to sit back and watch his scavengers keep destroying our country? Dpp is the worst thing that ever happened to Malawi full of heartless people who enjoys sharing the cake and all of us must scrumble for leftovers.
A pumbwa siyani umbava
MORE FIRE CHILIMA EXPOSE THE ROT IN GOVERNMENT … BUT MY VOTE IS RESERVED FOR DR CHAKWERA….
No shame really Dpp? you put us in electricity mess then brought us gen sets then whats next the country will be running on candles? Do u even think of the SME that reply on feeding there families paying rent and making a living from their businesses that need electricity full time? This is evil Peter! We not all american citizens. We wont escape from malawi like u will when you finish draining malawi!!
when Dr. Lazarus Chakwera said the president is a ‘Prince of thieves’ they said he is lying and power hungry. Nonse achina Msowoya, SKC, Masangwi and Kaliati you are not serious with you politics. you can’t arrest a watchman because of 3 million lt. its too much
ON A SERIOUS NOTE, DPP MUST GO! WHOSOEVER WILL VOTE FOR IT WILL FACE THE CONSQUENCIES
Chonde chonde a Malawi tivotele Chilima very honest man and he will not tolerate corruption.Mwaonatu kuti mnyamatayu amanena zoona.Tiyeni timupatse mpata
APUMBWAWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Malawians we are suffering everyday, but when these government of fate doing there corruption they figures are always in Billions not millions, no wonder everyone wants to be a president
Atupele Muluzi was MInister of Energy and he tolerated the theft of fuel or was part of the theft. Like father Bakili who is father of corruption and God Father of the corrupt Indians
As usual Nicholus Dausi will defend his DPP on this ESCOM issue.DPP is a rotten party full of thieves and thugs,they will never take this country forward
It’s not good enough to admit the theft. Mr chitosi should to the Nation and explain in details. The people involved should be named. 1.6 billion sipano. They were not using zigubu. You know the people and we deserve to know.
I don’t know what Dr chakwera is doing as an opposition leader.
This is painful. DPP &APM MUST GO NOW!
All this is happening under APM Leadership. Come 2019 the country will be no more, APM needs to RESIGN NOW! if indeed he loves this Country. All who are looting are ANA ADADI.
HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO SIT AND WATCH THEM DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. ENOUGH OF THIS.
Chitosi dont continue boring us with your disorganised and poorly administered organisation. We are tired of it all. No matter how articulate you can be here we all know ESCOM =DPP=Theft.
Just to prove that ACB is incompetent. How easy would it be to trace the culprits in this simple case of corruption? Probably 2 days? Now watch the space. ACB will investigate for 12 months and at best charge the foot soldiers. The case will be heard at High Court and will be thrown out for lack of evidence. Those charged will then sue the government for a combined MK2 billion which DPP-led government will gladly pay out. Case closed. Peter Mutharika is dealing with corruption deciselvly. What type of stupidity is that!!
Stupidity indeed at its best.
Ma contract a fake wa amapita kwa m’ngono wake wa Roza Mbilizi, tikuzidziwa. Roza is fighting hard to get the Commissioner general position at MRA sizobisa, everybody at MRA knows. She is facing some resistance just because Malata is from the Lhomwe belt, but is is just a matter of time before things work out for her. The woman used her power to kick out Mrs. Katsonga who was her boss and posted her to Lilongwe in order to frustrate her.
Mwana uja akunenadi zoona eti? Siuja mumati akunama, anthu a DPP mudziwaso ndithu, mulibe umunthu, If God will allow evil, wecan say that you will not going to be discovered but GOD hate evil, let the law play its music and you will dance for it. Zitserekwete inu.
can guards and drivers alone steal fuel worth k1.8b?
escom wanted to conceal this theft. but Chilima has named and shamed you …
politicians r behind this huge theft
DPP WOYEEEE
MK145 MILLION WOYEE
MK1.6 BILLION YA KU ESCOM WOYEE
2019 BOMA WITH WISE AND DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP OF PETER MUTHARIKA.
Owen Khamula how can you be so sure that the above mentioned property was stolen by the DPP government? I don’t believe there’s only DPP supporters that are working at the entire escom, it could be that it’s someone who is associated with the chilima movement or any other opposition party who stole fuel so that they can keep on denting the DPP government. Otherwise how come chilima knew about the stolen fuel faster than anybody else? Do you think DPP is that stupid enough to commit such high profile theft during the time of all these allegations?
Stealing in dpp is order of the day and we believe it will continue with UTM.
So Mpinganjira is the Board Chair? I had respect for this person, but alas he has messed ESCOM. If there is any integrity remained in him, surely he would resign from his board chair. Unless he is part of the syndicate.
I f you are a DPP, MCP, UDF support who is against CHILIMA wanting to clean this mess, please stop your selfish ideology of support a party simply because your grandfather/mother were its core supporters. Lets stand up together and support CHILIMA to dealing with thieves plundering our country…with UTM – A CORRUPT FREE MALAWI IS POSSIBLE.!!!
Make your choice and I will make mine?
koma nd zomvetsa chisoni kwambili….. tiyeni nazoni zibetsani mavot inu a katangale inu!!!
so Escom you allow party officials to be siphoning fuel inu mukugona tulo. Where are the controls for a big parastatal ngati escom. Shame on Escom Management!!!!
You only need a mouse to take down an elephant. Here we are and the elephant is on its feet. This is how the cookie crumbles. There are no secrets on this earth; all shall be revealed. Evidence is all in the cloud and very easy to access.
Choncho akamati anthuwa ndi apumbwa ndiye adzikana.Umbava wachuluka boma ili.Mr prince of thieves ali phee osanena kanthu.koma apumbwa inu mwatikwana.
Guards and officials were stealing the fuel for goodness sake. What did Chilima do at the time? And why is he not resigning if corruption is that bad? Why was he being guarded by so many police.
Was Chilima a guard????