Malawi govt gags Joyce Banda: Ex-president denies wrongdoing in Cashgate
Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara has written former president Joyce Banda, who is facing arrest in relation to multimillion-pound “Cashgate” corruption scandal, against disclosing any information she was privileged to access while serving as President of Malawi between April 2012 and May 2014.
In a letter dated June 21 2007 which has been widely circulating on social media after it was deliberately leaked by the Office of President and Cabinet, Muhara reminds the former Head of State on the need to adhere to the oath of secrecy that required both current and former presidents, members of Cabinet, current and retired to observe secrecy and confidentiality.
“I wish to highlight that the Oath of Secrecy that Your Excellency undertook when in office is still binding even after Your Excellency relinquished your duties as the President of the Republic of Malawi,” reads in part the letter.
It adds: “In view of this, I would like to respectfully remind Your Excellency to refrain from commenting in the media or diverging [sic – the right word should have been divulging] any information that Your Excellency were privileged to know while serving as President of the Republic of Malawi.”
Banda’s spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya, said the office of the former president has received the letter and that Banda personally sought clarification from Chief Secretary on the meaning behind the letter.
Government spokesman Nicholous Dausi said similar letters were sent to former president Bakili Muluzi and other former vice presidents.
Meanwhile, Banda has denied any wrong doing in the plunder of public resources at Capital Hill known as Cashgate exposed under her watch in 2013.
“We have always maintained that that Dr Joyce Banda knows nothing about Cashgate and she doesn’t really have anything to say about it,” Chanthunya said.
Chanthunya insists Banda will soon come back to the country. She has not set foot in Malawi for three years now.
Banda insists that she has no regrets over her handling of the Cashgate affair in which civil servants, businessmen and politicians were put on trial accused of exploiting a loophole in the government’s payment system to divert millions into their own pockets.
The former president said she asked the British government to fund a forensic audit, made publicly available online, that revealed 13bn kwacha was stolen in three months during her administration. She also launched an investigation into Bingu wa Mutharika ’s last three years as president that uncovered the theft of a staggering K92bn .
The former president said she was warned that a crusade against corruption would ruffle feathers and make enemies, but she was determined to stay the course.
The scandal prompted Britain and other donors to freeze direct aid, which made up 40% of the national budget.
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Some of us are finding it difficult to understand the reasoning behind the reasons for some decisions here. You accuse someone of being a thief and you are preparing to arrest them, then at the same time you tell them not to “divulge” any information? You mean they should justify themselves (in this case herself) with silence? Can someone who is able to make sense out of this please educate those of us who are lost?
I think cash gate fight began after cash gate herself came out of the bag with the shooting of Mphwiyo. Nobody should claim that they fought cashgate. It was the circumstance that PP Govt was in after Mphwiyo was shot that made them to go in the direction of the wind (fighting cashgate). Nobody in Govt in African Continent can deliberately take that risk, otherwise, corruption would have been history in Malawi and Africa at large.
The issue of Joyce Banda is politically motivated. If the authority was honest, they could have completed Dr Bakili Muluzi case, then Bingu’s alleged K61 billion kwacha issue and then deal with Joyce if at all she has a case to answer. As far Malawi Politics is concerned this issue will go no where because the ruling party just wants to silence and dent the picture of its opponents as we are approaching 2019. We practice uncivilized politics in Malawi.
The question to be asked is whether there is indeed such a thing like Oath of Secrecy. Did Joyce Banda swear on this? If she did then there is possibility that because she is now squeezed on cashgate she can divulge those secrets out of frustration. It looks like she has already started doing so. Therefore Muhara is just reminding her of this Oath otherwise she should not regret if she is also charged on the same. Mzimayi wapezeka uyu atha kuchita chilichonse. Zoti akubwera zinayamba liti, Msonda anachita kutopa nazo zimenezi kuyankhapo. She now knows that she cannot cheat… Read more »
I think by now she knew exactly what is going on here if she indeed clean in conscience she will surely show herself without tough actions taken.
SOON OR LATER YOU WILL
ALL MEET IN JAIL
WHY ??
YOU ARE ALL THIEVES
Musamuopseze Joyce Banda atiuze zomwe mukubisazo. Akubwera adzawulura. Koma ndiye ma president a kumwera ndi mbava zokhazokha. Kuyambira Bakiri Muluzi, the late big Kahuna, Mzimayi uyu adathawayu komanso the current Mr. Ibu mbava zadzawoneni. I feel sorry for my country.
What is this letter all about. A warrant of arrest has been issued at the same time a reminder letter not to divulge certain information to the public. What happens if that information is her defence against the charges she will face? Should she not say it and get convicted or break the rules and say it in order to be acquitted? What is it that Muhara and government are afraid of?
I have always observed that this lady is courageous. Cashgate started way back in 2007. For those who live in Lilongwe, the Cashgate city (area 43) started beeping built in 2007, and after the revelation of Cashgate, most projects stalled. I believe APM and his colonies know the truth.
I agree with you Mahera. Let me add that poverty, makes Nyasas do “tricking’ instead of politics (policies). I salute Dr. Goodal Gondwe who has served this country very well as Finance Minister. He is the type of politicians the country needs to develop. Look at this: betwn 2004 & 2007 the country’s external debts were written off. Immediately Bingu removed him and apppinted Ken Lipenga as Ministet of Financr and I remember Mwanamveka was Sec. to Treasury around the same period. This is the time you are saying Area 43 was fast & miraculously developing by individuals. And indeed… Read more »