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.
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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Time to eat.And they are doing it with reckless abandon
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.
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!
That is Malawi. Astonishing!!
Akulu mwaba inu. Kumachitako manyadzi. Ndalama zolondela chipatala kuposa ma bill? Kodi mumamenya nkhondo ndi Covid-yo?
Kodi mnyamata oganiza bho uja akuti nazo bwanji?
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?
MDF wastes too much money, remember General Odilo? Now Nudwe. But every new government is scared to interfere with soldiers.
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!!!
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?
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.
K272 million budget to cater for costs pertaining to provision of security at a Covid facility at BNS for three months? There is definitely some clandestine activity intensively commanding Chilembwe to move. There is a term for such clandestine activities, they are called ‘classified ops’. Nundwe wamasukatu naye. Ndichifukwa chake mphunzitsi akufuna risk allowance uku, alibe mwayi wakatangale poor teacher. Now olemba nkhaniyi simunakonzebe heading, mumvekere ‘K276bn for guarding Bingu Stadium’, mwatani kodi?
There must be a sinkhole at the stadium
Koma aMalawi tili PQ moto..hmm!
Ndalama zolondela malo more than ndalama zopita kuchipatala.
African Child, UKUONA?
Ameneyo akulimbana ndi kuno ku Nkhondo musiyeni. This is not an Area play around with and if there is something wrong MDF manages alone and not concerning you.Seeking permission to use is not easy and have ever heard yourself that other Ministries sought permission to share the money for allowances?
Army ya standard 7 yomweyi
Ankhondo ake ati omangomwa zibukhu ndikumenya ma civilian osalakwa, mudamenyapo nkhondo kuti akapokola inu, tapitani mukafunse anzanu pa Mozambique pompa ndi Tanzania akuuzani kuti msirikali ndi ndani, pa nkhondo basi chimimba kuno matako atakula ngati amzimayi basi n’kumati ndiwe msirikali? Anzanu a Tanzania ali busy patrolling lake Malawi inu muli busy kuba za covid pomwe anthu akufa, shatapu!
THE TRUTH IS SOME PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH THIS CONTROVERSIAL
CORONA THING JUST NBECAUSE
ITS HEAVILY HEAVILY BBFUNDED
The worst general ever. He should have stayed out of the army, koma Chakwera ma appeasement tho
This is utter nonsense from the useless general, Tonse machinery tikukuonanitu, beware!
General Nundwe is a sacred cow
Well, your either retire a hero or come back an see yourself become a villain. The case for general nundwe. Apa ndiye whatever remained of that legacy is finally gone. Vuto losafuna kusiya zinthu zidakakoma ndilimenelo mapeto ake caught hands in the cookie jar. Eetu, apatu basi heads should role basitu.
Usilikali tinapanga I’ve nthawi ya a Matewere ukasiya ntchito wasiya basi suumabwereranso kukavala uniform. Mwazionatu. Maloto akatiluka nyumba atuluka basi. This so called general returned to steal from the Army basi. He has to be probed and gave what odillo is going through
This the weakest army ever in the world, as arm your not supposed draw any comments but just keep quiet. Report linati mubweze ndalama aku army, bwezani ndalama. Or tipatseni report mmene nunayendetsera ndalama. Paja mbuzi ya president Chakwera ndi Zeze Chilima anasayina public access to government money. Munthu ali yense ali ndi ufulu kudziwa kuti boma layenditsa bwanji chuma. Iwe Nudwe ndi wedi mbuzi yeni yeni anakuuitananso kuti idzadye nao ndalama za boma.
I agree with you a serious General would not comment publicly.You display weakness of your territory…Ai lodge namaliza this that…General ameneyo..
Palibekhani apa the guy said the money is still there
How could he divert money to Bingu Field Hospital that was meant for Border patrols? Thus misappropriation of funds and he must be interdicted.
You have nothing to say ” boy” all services and Nundwe did not pocket any money there.
Inunso inu angokuberani ndalama za drc muli phee ati discipline…Fotseki
The question should be, did they submit the estimates? If Yes, did the financiers verified them as true?
Was the rate used ok?
A
Osadandawula paja ndalama za boma zilibe mwinitu
K3 million kwacha per day to guard a facility? Wow.
Rightly said! How is this possible if not for pure theft? I wish we had seen daily expenses regardless of that they need to be probed. Next time use GS4 they are in the same category as alonda.
TooHash, waiona eti?
wow indeed!
Speechless! Malawi leaders at their best. Just wow.
Koma mwati health expert?? Ati ndalama tikanapangila chani,zoti Kolona ndi emergency mwaiwala,mukanakhala mukumanga ndi kukhonza KCH anthu akusowa oxegin komatu abale tizinena zoona. Olo zipatala zabwino mwaiwathu and advertist amakana odwala Corona ndeinu mukuti chani ,azathu ophunzilanu penapake simukutithandiza momwe mumalankhulira .even tikanakhala ndizipatala zabwino ,munthu wakolona amafunabe special place sichoncho?
Do you know that Mwaiwathu is there for money and they cannot accept we people with Corona hence they need smart patients only. But God is there tell the leadership of Mwaiwathu and BAH to know God in truest manner.
A Maziko Matemba, a Matemba, a Matemba, tazikambaniko za nzeru nthawi zina.
Iyi Nde mbudzi ya general.how could a leutenant colonel sign for such a letter? Ntchito kuba makobili through dubious procurements…
UMAFUNA KUTI YEKHA A SIGN THE LETTER AND SEND ELSEWHERE?
MBONI AKHALA NDANI KAPENA IWEYO? IWEYO NDIWEDI MBUZI YA MANO KUNSI.FISI IWEYO
Kkkk usapota umeneo…Munya ndi boma lokubali chaka chino