Macra boss awards K19 million contract to mother-in-law: Whistle blower hands evidence to ACB
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director General Godfrey Itaye is caught up in a multimillion kwacha tenders contract in which he influenced the Internal Procurement Committee to award his own mother in-law’s firms Kai Kalion Agency and Cartrack Malawi Limited deals worthy 17 million Kwacha, The Anti Corruption Bureau confirmed Friday.
Itaye is alleged to have offered the two separate contracts between April and August 2016, according to documents handed to the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) seen by Nyasa Times.
Procurement number MACRA/IPC/2015/03 being Supply and Installation of Fleet Management and Car Tracking Sytem valued at K13.1 million was rubber-stamped by MACRAs Internal Procurement Committee headed by Procurement Expert Joseph Ngalawa, who is also Itaye’s right hand man in several underhand and dubious procurements, rampant at MACRA.
“The supplier shall perform the services during the period commencing 1st September 2016 to 31 August 2017,”reads the documents.
At the same time, Macra under the directive of the Director General also awarded a contract for the supply of eight medium laser jet colour printers with five external hard drives worthy 4.9 million kwacha to Mercy Nseula of Kai Kalion Agency of P.O Box 583 Blantyre which shares the same address with Cartrtack Malawi Limited operated by Mr Nseula, a husband to Mercy Nseula.
ACB spokeswoman Egritta Ndala said she was not aware of the issue.
But sources within the ACB told Nyasa Times about the dubious procurement and confirmed having received a complaint from a concerned party regarding the abuse of office and conflict of interest where MACRA Director General Godfrey Itaye awarded contracts to his own parents in-laws.
Itaye, who is currently in Argentina on official duties refused to comment on the allegations, saying the MACRA Internal Procurement Committee acted independnently, arguing that MACRA is on of the first parastatal organisations that has “very high” integrity on procurement issues.
He, however, could neither confirm nor deny that the firms belong to his parents-in-law. Ms Mercy Nseula when contacted for comment said she bid, just like any other bidders and won the tender.
“This is a free country where everyone has the right to do business. A tender was advertised. Kai Kalion particpated and won the contract. Is that a problem?,” Ms Nseula said before cutting the phone.
In a related development the ACB is also investigating allegations that MACRA umder the disguise of buying MCARA Special Cloth for Telecentres, it paid up to K35 Million to Mapeto (DWSM) Limited,. The special cloth however was collected by Minister of Local Government and Rural development Kondwani Namkhumawa’s truck trading under Abiti Gambatu Transport.
His driver, a Mr Kachingwe, confirmed having colletced DPP branded cloth from Mapeto David Whitehead offices in Blantyre. My job is to drive a truck. I collected rolls of DPP cloth from Mapeto, it was not MACRA cloth,” said |Kachingwe in an interview.
Meanwhile, sources in Macra Finance Department confirmedthat payments for the DPP cloth was made through cheque numbers which Nyasa Times has seen and will provide details.
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ndiye MACRA imeneyo. akudzidzimuka ndani? anticorruption is also corrupt starting from egrita mdala. the Nseula’s are well known with corruption
This country is so tiresome with corruption now. But AMBUYE MULI KUTI ?
The problem with those who steal from government chimene akuziwa ndi kunyenga ma hule kumawagulira ma galimoto odula insteady of investing nyasi zemizeni
There is more lot at MACRA which is yet to be exposed. In fact, this is just one of the many dirt at this place.
DPP must go this is kujaila at its best. omweo akupatseni ndalama za chachani chaalomwe zosadziwka ngati izo
Basitu a Macra boss reputation yanu yatsatira ya aChaponda…… Kikiki!
The corruption in Malawi shall never end.
Thieves!!!!
Mika Kumbire, you are lying and dishonest. Should our taxpayers money, no matter how small, be stolen that easy? This is a case of corruption and the amount is not an issue.
Do you ignore the power in a match-stick because its small? Corruption, despite the amount involved remains a sin and we must learn to hate it at all costs.
The issue is the intention
Mbava zopanda break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Malawi sadzatheka…… a few connected. Bolanso football club
Koma tindalama take tikutchulidwa apanso. MK4.9 Million phokoso lonseli? Izi ndiye sour grapes basi. A Malawi tatiyeni we should be thinking BIG. Apa ma allowance a anthu ACB to investigate the matter will cost 10 times more than the money purported to have been accused. Nanga pa kabwera ma parliamentary committee. Iyi ndi allowancegate basi.
It doesn’t work like that bro why do government spend millions to try a murder suspect? What is there to achieve? Take it straight “justice is expensive”
That is STUPID!!!!! The law should be sidestepped because the amount in question is little in your eyes??? Corruption inakulowelelani kwambiri atambwali inu!!!
Let finances be used because we are RIGHTFULLY and LAWFULLY investigating corruption not because we are awarding contracts in a manner that’s contrary to laws of the land.
And what do mean we should be “thinking BIG”??, is dubiously awarding contracts to your parents in-law thinking BIG??
@ Mika Kumbire, it would have have made a lot of sense if you remained quite than deciding to show the world how shallow your thinking is! After all, do you know that the Law does not give any figure of amount on the amount of money abused! Do you know the intent of reporting these (even minute amounts) issues as per the Law!!
Eeeeeeeeeshiiiii, mwadya nawotu inuuuuuuuuuuuu!!
IWE MIKA !
Pachipwiitsi chamalume ako ! Kuba NDI kuba !!! You are vomiting gaga yapa… Learn to be quite
A Mika kuganiza kwake kumeneko dziko lingapite patsogolo? Kuba ndi kuba basi kulibe size. Wake up man and be patriotic!
@Mika. Ndiye kuti iwe unaba zambiri. Mbava iwe. Mumangidwa nonse come 2019.
Malawi is in wrong hands. We are just waiting for 2019 General elections to relieve DPP of the work of running the affairs of this Nations. Enough is enough.
Arresst him
Arrest the bastard