Malawi chief elections officer Kalonga fired over financial abuse at MEC

Embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chief elections officer Willie Kalonga has been fired over allegations of financial abuse at the electoral body.

Kalonga: Fired but he is challenging the decision

Kalonga was serving a suspension together with deputy chief elections officer (operations) Harris Potani, director of administration and human resources George Khaki, director of finance Khumbo Phiri, procurement manager Edington Chilapondwa,  procurement officer Chimwemwe Kamala and assistant procurement officer Sydney Ndembe.

The decision to suspend senior managers and some staff to pave the way for investigations followed a resolution made in May this year by delegates to the Malawi Electoral Cycle Support (Mecs) Project Steering Committee meeting, comprising government officials and development partners.

Kalonga has since been fired together director of administration and human resources George Khaki.

He confirmed to have received the letter of dismissal but said he is challenging the decision.

Kalonga said he was not heard on the matter contrary to rules of natural justice.

He also argues that he was “wrongly charged” using Section 10 of the Public Finance Management Act.

“MEC is a statutory corporation and not a ministry or government department,” he said.

Kalonga said his job description is not that of a controlling officer but chief elections officer.

He noted that another material error on his sacking is that the letter shows it was disciplinary committee that recommended his dismissal and not MEC.

“I was employed by Malawi Electoral Commission not a disciplinary committee,” he argued.

Kalonga maintains that money was not ‘Cashgated’ at MEC but that “books were not reconciled.”

Britain dismissed outright MEC’s explanation on how K15.4 million was spent between July 2012 and December 2014.

A three-member team, comprising Auditor General Stevenson Kamphasa, retired judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Duncan Tambala and Rex Harawa, managing partner for AMG Gobal, certified public accountants and auditors, was tasked to probe the allegations of financial abuse at MEC.

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Chigwere
Chigwere
6 years ago

He stopped going to ECG; paja this job was Prophesied by the Major 1

yosefe mateyu
yosefe mateyu
6 years ago

TEVETA CEO

kamulonde
kamulonde
6 years ago

Ana muwatani ambirimbiri aja? Thabiso….

peter
peter
6 years ago

So, Mr. Kalonga was not a Controlling Officer? Let us be serious when appointing people to senior positions, otherwise, this Country is destined and doomed to remain the poorest country in the world.

Mbala
Mbala
6 years ago
Reply to  peter

Who told you that only PSs are controlling Officers? Umbuli basi. As long as you are the head of an institution funded by a tax payer then you are a controlling officer. Remember that DCs are controlling officers

Joseph nyoni
Joseph nyoni
6 years ago

Bola akusiyirani moyo biss. You are still young and intelligent . It’s an opportunity to do greater things than kumangotukwanidwa.
You are a great guy. Success and prosperity is ahead of you my boss

Kenneth
Kenneth
6 years ago

Willie you are the best CEO MEC will ever have. So sorry to see you leave when the Commission needed you most . We are all writing application letters now . MEC is stinking hell

mjiba
mjiba
6 years ago

when is he going to be arrested. A Kalonga mpakana books were not reconciled??? nde kubako mumati mupanga reconcile ndi ma fake receipts or invoices?? You should be arrested the whole rot of you. Rotten.!!!

Ngozo Che Bwemba
6 years ago

Official corruption at its best.

chaponda chimanga
chaponda chimanga
6 years ago

This is the age of corrupt DPP parastatal CEOs

MEC CEO,
ADMARC CEO
ROADS AUTHORITY CEO
LL CITY CEO
MERA CEO
You can add more

Bliss
Bliss
6 years ago

TEVETA CEO

BWANTASA
BWANTASA
6 years ago

KOMA NKHANI ZOKHUDZA KUBA NDALAMA ZAFIKA PENA. BASI AKALONGA VOMELEZANI KAONENI ZINA.

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