Malawi economist describes  K1 trillion plunder as treasonous

An economic expert has described as treasonous the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials loot of government money which President Lazarus Chakwera put at K1.3 trillion (over $1 billion), citing the recent Auditor General’s report which looks into how the government managed its finances for the past two years.

Polytechnic-based economic expert Dr. Betchani Tchereni said the economic plunder during the Peter Mutharika administration was not only immoral but treasonous.

“Their aim was not only to loot but to bring down the country which is treasonous,” he said.

He said the K1.3 trillion plunder is 40 per cent of the national budget which Finance minister Felix Mlusu is to present in parliament in two months’ time.

He said the money was enough to construct health facilities, schools and help in the fight against covid-19.

Professor of Economics at Chancellor College Ben Kalua said the money was enough to put the country on its own feet without relying on donors.

President Chakwera in his address to the nation on Satruday warned people that stole public funds that should avoid seeking public sympathy but return what they stole as the law is going to take its course on them.

The President said,  among other things, the  Auditor General’s report shows that $10 million could not be accounted for, $1 million was used to pay for projects which were not completed and $400,000 was used for fuel without corresponding documents.

Chakwera said the scale of the plunder is worse than a 2013 corruption scandal known as Cash ate in which about $32 million government money was looted through dubious contracts, during the administration of former president Joyce Banda.

Since the Tonse Alliance came into power, there have been shocking revelations from some statutory corporations on how public resources were abused, in some cases allegedly involving officials of the former governing DPP.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau ACB) director general Reyneck Matemba described the plunder of public resources under the watch of DPP regime, jointly being investigated by State agents, as a ‘tsunami’ which supersedes that of Cashgate.