MACRA board ignored Information Minister Gospel Kazako’s advise not to go to Dubai
Insolent MACRA board of directors ignored and defied line minister’s advice not to go to Dubai for an orientation workshop and instead do it locally to save money.
Infomation Minister approached the board when he wind of the news that the board members were going to Dubai for training but they rejected his proposal and proceeded with the trip.
In an interview with Nyasa Times Kazako said tried his best to advise the board on the trip but they did not listen, clearly committing an offense of “insubordination warranting dismissal.”
Said Kazako: ” I found the trip to Dubai for training very expensive and I duly advised the board against the idea and I repeatedly asked them to think twice, but my advice was completely ignored.
“This is well recorded and minuted. If we need to change things in this country we must do things differently. The President has sent a strong message on this” added Kazako.
In his speech Friday in Lilongwe, President Chakwera acknowledged that he received a report on the matter from his information minister, Kazako and he was dismayed with the board’s decision.
This means therefore that President Chakwera upon receiving the report from Kazako he decided not to take action against them but rather to ask them to change.
HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence in an interview said: “The president appointed the board members and therefore he must dismiss them as they have proved that they are a rubble that needs clearing.
“When the president says, MACRA board directors need to change, what does he mean? Change what?”
Added Trapence said: “Trapence said by asking the board to change is in itself an admission that they are doing or they have done something wrong and this why we are demanding that he must dissolve this board and appoint new people.”
Macra board of directors are said to have squandered a staggering K46 million of taxpayers money for attending an unjustified two-week orientation workshop in Dubai.
It is established that every Macra board member is entitled an external travel allowance of US$480 per day, which is equivalent to K386,400 at the exchange rate of K805 to a US dollar – and this means that for the two week period, each board member pocketed not less than K5,409,600.
In total, all the five board members got not less than K27, 048,000
Expenditure for air tickets for all the five was about K7.5 million as each air ticket cost about K1.5 million and on calculations, it shows that Macra spent about K34,548,000 for the board’s allowances and air tickets.
Nyasa Times established that in total, the institution spent around K46,282,250.
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Your gospel kazako authorized a small group of Macra board to go to Dubai and that small group is the one that actually went. If I were pastor Chakwera I would fire gospel kazako for misinforming the nation.
Ziriko
46, 000,000 ndi ndalamanso yoti mpaka dziko ligwedere nazo. Anthu akuba ma billions sakumangidwa bwanji. Kodi za 6.2 billion ziri pati? Nanga 17.5 billion idayenda bwanji? These billions ndi zomwe ife tikufuna kuti timve….but we can’t hear anything chifukwa anthu okhudzidwa ndi akuluakulu ku boma, andale ndi atsogoleri. 46million kachaninso tatiuzeni nkhani zenizeni osati they ignored my advice. They could have spent the same amount here in Malawi. What would you say. Just pang’ono, a contractor was given equipment to use in disinfecting the state house but was paid contractual amount in full….in excess of 100 million. Ndiye ka 46m nkachani?
K46m is alot of money to be wasted. We need the money back and be put into society’s productive projects
Kuyiphwekesa K46 mita? K6.2 billion ndi K17.5 billion mukuyinenayo is made up of tima K2 million, K10 million, etc adding up to billions. Ma billion onsewo sanabedwe ndi munthu mmodzi… You get my drift, baba?
Imeneyo ndiye Tonse Allaince at its best
This action by the minister snd president really sets a standard that abuse of this nature will not be tolerated . An example to other wasteful board members
These board members must pay back the money and be fired .
Malawians, let us wake up, this Country should never go to sleep.I commend the social media and whistle blowers, CSO’s who blow these irresponsible acts of plunder out to the public. Lets also find channels to feed this information to donors, whether formerly or informally. The least we need are Governments, and leaders like Tonse and his Chakwera, Nor the DPP and his Mutharika’s. Let us take these messages to our communities through platforms like churches and other gatherings. Show them and I repeat preach to them in time before elections how resources / tax payers monies and donor funds are abused by the people we vote into power at the expense of the needs that communities for years long to get when these fools are enjoying in Dubai as is the case here. Look at how relaxed the Tonse leaders, including Chakwera, Kazako and their own elected board have downplayed this foolish and careless act of plunder, yet they preach otherwise. Malawi, if we continue to do what we have begun now, I hope for a better Malawi, Malawians are slowly but moving positively towards a realisation that power belongs to the people. In 2025, lets put the Tonse Alliance (I doubt it will be there) and its constituent parties like MCP and UTM out, just like we did with the DPP. This is another Rubble.
Gospel authorized a smaller entourage and that’s the one that went
I don’t know where this lack of decision making by our President is taking us to
And it is being alleged in some circles that the costs are way beyond the projected MK46million. Perhaps, some entity well placed/ versed should do a thorough check on the monies that were involved in this trip. We may realise that we are being sold a dummy of understatement in the MK46m. ‘Truth will out now or later’
This is unacceptable. We could have purchased vaccination for covid and other necessary medical equipment for our hospitals. The board need to be punished for not understanding the problems of our country.
The Parliamentary Committee responsible for Communication should summon the Board Members and hear them out. The Committee should then make a recommendation to the State President. It will be up to the State President to act or not to as an Appointing Authority. That should be the procedure.
Is there nobody in this country who believes in the common Good? Is not the major intention of most of our leaders to gain privat benefit? Why are we so selfcentred ?
If Dr Chakwera fires these Directors some will say he is harsh ,the old MCP is rearing is ugly head,if Dr Chakwera forgives them and warn them to change some will say he is weak and indicisive.VERY TOUGH.I doubt if Dr Chakwera is super happy with such an invitation to lead MCP,I doubt if he has internal peace .
Zayambaponso za mbuzi imadya pomwe aimangilira!!!!! Malawi ndi ziko lomvetsa chisoni kwambiri. Mwayamba kale kuteketa ngati aja angotuluka mbwalo aja!!!!
Kadzako is busy trying to rid off people who are standing on his way to steal. He is conniving with his thief friend Bisika. So far they are removing people who they feel are a threat to their thieving scheme and Chakwera because he does not have intelligence makes decisions based on gossip.
Chakwera can not fire this board because these are the people that helped him financially during campaign and they need to pay themselves back likewise Chikhosi is paying himself back through bribes that he is getting from senior officials to retain them in government.
You recall I said the issue of covid will not go anywhere because this was an arranged heist by Chakwera to steal from government and the arrest as I said were just meant to blindfold us.
In another Note the ministry of information hates women and no woman occupies senior positions of director and above and those who were close to these senior positions are being removed and replaced by unqualified party loyalist who are men.
Going by what the Minister GK Said that insubordination warrants dismissal, I see no good reason why the President Dr Chakwera is giving advice for change instead of handing over the right penalty – dismissal
I think the a President is failing in his duty to clear and help eradicate corruption. Dr Chilima is preaching mindset change how will Malawi change if the man at Plot One is an efulefu
He’s a weak leader and a catalyst of corruption himself
Take it easy son, our president doesn’t act based on your feelings and emotions. He goes with the process and is an honorable man
*MACRA OFFICIALS UNDER PRESSURE, OPERATING UNDER THREATS TO PROTECT THE MINISTER*
MACRA officials are living in fear as the Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako, is using all means to save his job.
When Gospel Kazako heard of the Board firing, he knew he was next so he quickly requested for documents from MACRA, Scribble notes and take photos then send to Gerald Kampanikiza and other social media team for sharing. The MACRA officials had no choice but to comply for fear of loosing their job.
“If Gospel Kazako wanted to decline the external travel, he could have issued an official letter reserving his approval and keep it on file but he allowed our team to travel because he saw merit in it”, commented an official from MACRA
Because you think running a govt is just like driving a minibus….
they must go. full stop
Same old greed, different faces.
How do government officials get cleared to travel abroad? I thought a memo is written by the CEO or PS to the Minister responsible. He or she approves the trip or disapproves it. Something is wrong. The government is not serious. There are elements of the past regime who want to enrich themselves. There’s a lot of unnecessary expenditures in the government. Directors, CEOs and PSs all want to drive Prados or Fortuners. This is imposterou. The President must this. He must talk and not act.
The Battle over Agillis Contract is the main issue not the 46million Dubai Trip.
What the elders see while seated and a child can not see even while standing.
As you might have heard in the past about the popular spy machine is main contention in this Macra jigsaw puzzle.
At one time Francis Bisika was Deputy Director General at MACRA in which he jointly participated in the dubious award of the Contract to Agillis International a brief case company from unknown destination.
Bisika was fired at MACRA because of the same Agillis Contract.
Now that he is the Acting PS at the Ministry of Information he was trying to bulldoze the Board to have the Contract renewed despite the machine not working till today due to serious breaches by the Agillis Team.
When the Board saw how many dollars in millions have been spent towards this project it decided to terminate this agreement.
However this did not go well with Bisika who is rumoured to have pocketed some dollars from Agillis owner as he did during the time he was the Deputy Director General at MACRA.
4 weeks ago Bisika was in RSA fully sponsored by the Agillis dealers. 2 weeks ago the Hon Minister Kazako was in RSA meeting the Agillis Team. Are you seeing what am seeing?
Now that the Resolution to terminate the contract has been made the two have decided to bad mouth the Board inorder to have a new Board so that they can see their deal materialising.
For the Board to travel to Dubai it was given an approval by their line Minister Hon Kazako.
Several Boards have traveled to Dubai recently including EGENCO which the Chief Secretary bwana Chikhosi was amongst the Team.
I hope the President will get to hear the side of the Board unlike having a one sided story.
pajatu malamulo a malawi ndi conco. zimawadela opanda cikwangwani. The Health minister UK ,Hancock waonekela poyera ndi khalidwe loipa and anthu ati acotsedwe udindo. ndipo zitha kutheka pomwe kwathu kuno imangokhala ngati norm kuti wankulu saphwisa. mwana akaphwisa amalandila mbama.
kodi sakanatha kupangila training konkuno???????
eish koma nde alemeratu. ALANDIDWETU NDALAMA IMENEYI