First Lady, Mulhako gets money from Malawi Aids Commission – Report

Published report on Saturday November 22 indicated that First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (Beam) Trust and tribal grouping Mulhako wa Alhomwe in September this year asked for money amounting to about K15 million (about $30 000) from National Aids Commission (NAC) to fund activities that have nothing to do with the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic.

According to the Weekend Nation article, the First Lady personally wrote the executive director of NAC asking for financial support to launch her initiative on September 13.

The paper quoted her letter seeking “financial assistance” from NAC “to help us successfully launch this initiative on September 13 and support the ensuing operations of the Trust.”

The letter was followed by a K5 million ($10 000) invoice to NAC dated September 9 “as being charges for advertising at Beam launch,” the paper reported.

Deputy Chairperson of the Trust, Collins Magalasi claimed: “NAC invited us to come up with the proposal.”

According to the newspaper report, tribal grouping Mulhako wa Alhomwe, whose patron is President Peter Mutharika, also asked for K9.4 million (about $18 800) from NAC to cover expenses for its 2014 annual gathering.

Mulhako wrote to NAC through its Trustee Jean Mathanga, requesting for financial support purportedly to be used for HIV mainstreaming at its commemorative event held at Chonde in Mulanje.

National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) also asked for funding from NAC in September 2014 to the tune of K43 million.

A letter dated 12 September to NAC executive director signed by NIB director Nicholas Dausi asks for the money to be used in preventing new infections by providing accurate HIV and Aids information to members of staff and their spouses

But the letter, as reported by Weekend Nation, does not give detailed activities of how the money would be spent

NAC acting executive director Dave Kalomba confirmed to the paper that Mutharika’s and Mulhako wa Alhomwe were funded while NIB is yet to be given the money.