Malawi army has not misappropriated any Covid-19 funds, says General Nundwe: K276bn billed for guarding Bingu Stadium

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Vincent Nundwe has  dismissed allegations that he has been interdicted over allegations of abuse of Covid-19 funds, saying he does not head any cluster and that MDF has not misappropriated any funds.

General Commander of the Malawi Defence Force Vincent Nundwe : No wrong doing,  interdictions do not affect MDF

In his address on February 14 2021, Chakwera directed that all cluster heads be suspended for failing to maintain proper records of Ccovid-19 funds were used and others for defying his directive to submit reports weekly to his office.

Nundwe said  interdictions do not affect MDF.

“The K85 million we got out of K6.2 billion is still intact as it was given to us in November. So, we have sought permission to use these funds alongside the K100 million which has just been allocated to us,” said Nundwe.

Nundwe has also trashed allegations circulating on social media  that he used part of the Covid-19 funds to finish constructing his lodge, saying construction of the lodge in the question was completed in 2018 before the advent of Covid.

Meanwhile, press reports indicate that MDF requested K272 million for providing security at Bingu Field Hospital at Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe for three months. The MDF security bill is more than the K199 million allocated to Mzuzu Central Hospital for the Covid-19 response.

A letter from MDF dated February 4 2021 and referenced OPS & TRG/A/125/1 signed by Lieutenant Colonel Mlotha on behalf of MDF Commander acknowledged receipt of K85 million but that the money was not spent “due to the commitment MDF had for the rotation of its troops who were deployed in DRC for UN peace keeping operations from December 1 2020 until January 21 2021”.

MDF also says it had diverted K100 million meant for border patrols and other internal Covid-19 response activities to BNS field hospital.

Reads the letter: “For reminder and your information, MDF estimates towards BNS Covid is K272 000 000 for a period of three months; hence, the K100 000 000 is part of the budget which covers only for one month. This gives a shortfall of K172 000 000…”

In the letter, MDF confirms that its main response activity is safeguarding BNS and supporting Ministry of Health (MoH) for smooth running of the field hospital.

Health rights activist Maziko Matemba has since  bemoaned the wastage, saying prudent investment of the same funds could have transformed the health sector.

“The field hospitals are temporary. We should have used resources to strengthen our health care system with proper infrastructure that would help us contain Covid-19 which is still around for some time and other health issues,” he said in quotes reported by The Nation.

President Chakwera has ordered a forensic audit of the K6.2 billion amid public fears that the funds disbursed in August 2020 were abused and has said it is time to root out the problem of waste, abuse and theft of public resources.

“We must admit that these are behaviours that have poisoned our values as a nation and have corroded our entire government system,” the President said.

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Kudya katatu patsiku
Kudya katatu patsiku
3 years ago

Time to eat.And they are doing it with reckless abandon

Chilungamo
Chilungamo
3 years ago

Actually we do not even need an army in Malawi. Ndikadzatenga boma ndidzathetsa, just go join the police and make it strong with a division to handle external security issues. Security ya chipatala costing K3 million pa tsiku? apatseni a jibbs security alondela 3 million imeneyo for 3 months.

Mdala
Mdala
3 years ago

Why do we have to pay extra for security services from MDF? First of all each private security company is cheaper and second: dam it, it is their job to provide security! Do they get also extra pay or allowances to go for a war? Are they not deployed and paid by tax payers exactly for this reason! I really hope Chilima and team stops this extra payment/ allowances nonsense!

Ulemu Banda
Ulemu Banda
3 years ago
Reply to  Mdala

That is Malawi. Astonishing!!

Ka General Mbava
Ka General Mbava
3 years ago

Akulu mwaba inu. Kumachitako manyadzi. Ndalama zolondela chipatala kuposa ma bill? Kodi mumamenya nkhondo ndi Covid-yo?

Last edited 3 years ago by Ka General Mbava
Watson
Watson
3 years ago

Kodi mnyamata oganiza bho uja akuti nazo bwanji?

Tidakali mchipululu
Tidakali mchipululu
3 years ago

Bwana president. Now what will you do?. Munthuyu mumawona ngati mwamukonda. Kumubwenzeretsa pa udindo. Iye zimenezo sanaziwone ngati mwamukonda. Lero wasokoneza zinthu. What will you do?

Katswiri
Katswiri
3 years ago

MDF wastes too much money, remember General Odilo? Now Nudwe. But every new government is scared to interfere with soldiers.

Nyusesi
3 years ago

Why keep all that money iddle in the army when people are dying coz of lack of oxygen in hospital? Is this explanation by stupid nundwe making
any sense? Bwanji osakazibweza ndalamazo? And money for guarding BNS kuposa za Mzuzu hospital? Why? How? Can Chakwera explain this please? This general of yours is a big thief. Watch out Malawians!!!

Banda
Banda
3 years ago

Silly me for thinking soldiers are paid monthly regardless of their station so why would so much be needed at the stadium. Soldiers getting overtime?

Anzelu ndi Anzelu
Anzelu ndi Anzelu
3 years ago

Was it not possible to deploy ten police officers to guard the stadium? Why waste so much money to guard a makeshift hospital as if its an army barrack with artillery and gold reserves. This tendency of using the army on internal issues that can best be handled by proper security agencies is a recipe for a coup de tat and the establishment of a junta.

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