I’m not a stealer but shrewed businessman – Mulli

Mulli Brothers Limited managing director Leston Mulli has said he is disappointed that the leadership of United Transformation Movement (UTM) ganged up at their weekend rallies to attack him, saying he is a hardworking businessman and employer of hundreds of Malawians wh should not be dragged in petty politics.

Mulli: I am not a stealer

Mulli said UTM leadership including vice president Saulso Chilima  attacked him  among other things on short-changing smallholder farmers in  Nandolo (pigeon peas) crop   buying them at a lower prices and he will be selling on higher prices at  State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) .

President Peter Mutharika recently directed Admarc to buy pigeon peas at K230 per kilogramme (kg) .

“I did not buy Nandolo because the prices were down. Why accusing me, why always Mulli,” said the Phalombe tycoon.

“Why pointing fingers at me. Is it because I am black?  What about other people who have bought Nandolo,  why are you not talk about them, is it because they are foreigners?”

Mulli challenged anyone to check in all his warehouses  for the crop to prove that he is not hoarding it.

“I am not a stealer [thief]. I just do business. I am just shrewed businessman hence people always are jealous with me,” Mulli, who is also Mulhako wa Alhomwe chairperson,  said in an interview aired on Times Radio and TV.

His remarks of “stealer” triggered a debate on social media, with other Malawians suggested Mulli had murdered the Queen’s language.

One Facebook user Mzindi Lungu argued that a thief is the word used for someone who is commiting a crime by stealing something. Stealer is informal and can be used in situations like ‘boyfriend-stealer’ (an informal, made-up word) or other less criminal instances of theft such as ‘sandwich-stealer!’

He wrote that the word “thief” is a noun, which refers to a person who steals. The word “steal” is a verb, which refers to a person taking something without the owner’s permission. There is no such noun as “stealer” nor a verb such as “to thieve.” Therefore, “a thief steals things” makes sense but to say “a stealer thieves things” does not.

Business commentator and newspaper columnist Aubrey Mchulu argued that the biggest loser in the whole  Nandol deal is the smallholder farmer who is helplessly watching the vendors or ‘middlemen’ who bought the crop from them for a song pushing truckloads to Admarc markets.

“I smell a conspiracy where ‘big boys’, in the name of the poor farmer in Nyezelera, Phalombe, are engaging in some sort of organised crime to siphon public funds by way of laundering through Admarc. How else can one explain this?” wrote the columnist.

Picture this true story, he continued to write: “A peasant farmer sold her nandolo to a vendor at K40/kg only three weeks ago. She sold 26.5 bags each weighing 50 kg at K2 000/bag and earned a paltry K53 000. The vendor, obviously a ‘big boy’, is selling the same to Admarc at K230/kg or K11 500/50kg bag, making a cool K9 500 profit from each bag. If this is not a raw deal (‘theft by tricks’) then what is?

He urged authorities to be making decisions “that are for the general good of all and sundry, not a few chosen few”, saying farmers should be motivated and rewarded through competitive prices, based on market forces.”

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UTM
UTM
5 years ago

This guy called Mulli is a Conman. I dont know

Mbuya
Mbuya
5 years ago

Apumbwa awa. They are stealers kkkk

BigMan
BigMan
5 years ago

Nandologate is a clear scam, led by President Mutharika himself. Msaka has also been hoarding Nandolo and is set to make a killing. DPP is dead.

Nyasalande Fair Party (NFP)

I don’t have nandolo for sale, but WHAT SHOULD BE DONE NOW? Should the price remain pa K20 or what should be done? I’m just curious and wanting to know more because I know we people kusintha zinthu kumativuta. Or should the price continue going down to K10?

President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
5 years ago

My friend choyamba chizungu kulibe stealer but a thief. Mind you you received billions from taxpayers money thats stealing. During any civil strife if your property is destroyed, you dont get govt compensation. The judge , you and the Govt are thieves.

Masauko Mbewe
Masauko Mbewe
5 years ago

You are saying you employ Malawians yet you don’t pay them salaries. I once worked with you and I spent 6 SOLID MONTHS without pay till I voluntarily left your company. You are a crook with still a lot of loans in most companies mainly owned by foreigners and you use your connections with DPP to fufill your evil plans. School timadziwa ndiyopelerewera. You are over ambitious. You don’t do clean business. Where I am now you owe them millions of kwachas and you play hide and seek and you think you are smart. You have more loans that your… Read more »

tuntufye
tuntufye
5 years ago

I hate Mulli and DPP to the core but on the pigeon peas bit I think Mulli is right. Government has never thought of intervening when Asians rob farmers blind. There have been years of mixed fortunes for cowpeas and cotton farmers but pigeon peas has been a nightmare every year. its high time the government thought of a better plan and exploit the export potential especially to Asia. this crop has. otherwise the Indians will continue exploiting farmers. as for the other bits I have no comments as I do not have information

Noxy
5 years ago

Ine ndimaona kuti a china Mulli wa A Chilima muyaluka nawo musalimbane ndi ndalama zawo mza ku makolo awa mungopepela nazo.

DR MANGA
5 years ago
Reply to  Noxy

Akulu mukuganiza motsalila ngati mmalawidi.kkkkkkkkk

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
5 years ago

Mr Mulli, you are missing a valid point that both Chilima and others are raising. There is nothing wrong with being screwed; it’s a quality that any businessman should have. however, being screwed to the detriment of poor people isn’t cool. Mr Mulli, you can’t go around and take advantage of vulnerable poor people to enrich yourself. your dealings with the govt leaves much to be desired. Of course using your connections within the govt isn’t a sin; it is a sin to siphon undeserved funds under the pretext that you’re doing legitimate business with govt agencies. It is common… Read more »

James
James
5 years ago

@ Maphwiya doesn’t know what is talking about. Mulli should not get your advice of taking the Chilima team to court. Do think Malawians are sleeping. I am a Lohmwe by tribe and do not take part in politics but the issue of Mulli businesses should be taken with great care. A business which is well performing as presented by Mulli can’t fail to repay loans to Malawi Savings Bank. Mind you this bank was owned by Malawians. Unless something very unusual is happening with his businesses. That unusual thing will likely corner our brother Mulli.

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