Malawi ministers implicated in K577bn cashgate: ‘DPP rots from Chaponda, Mussa’ as NAO submits files to ACB

Seven senior cabinet ministers in the Peter Mutharika government have been fingured to have a key involvement in DPP-era Cashgate—the plunder of K577 billion (about $856 million) of public funds  the forensic audit for the period 2005 to 2014 indicates.

Mussa Implicated
Mussa Implicated
Chaponda: Implicated
Chaponda: Implicated

The National Audit Office (NAO) has submitted 13 files related to the pilferage of public funds  following  the report, prepared  after  the findings by the business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) titled Financial Analysis Report: Reconstruction of the Malawi Government Cashbook for Purposes of Further Investigation.

Nyasa Times understands that the files the Auditor General  has submitted to graft-busting body indicates the ‘fish rots from head to down’ in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government with Leader of Government in parliament, Dr Geogre Chaponda implicated.

Chaponda is also DPP vice president and second in command in the ruling party from President Peter Mutharika. He is heading key ministry of agriculture, irrigation and food security.

He previous served in ministries of foreign affairs; justice, and education.

Chaponda,  Malawi’s top trained lawyer,  prides himself as political “bulldozer” who has been seen to be repositioning himself to be Mutharika’s successor, saying had he remained working at the UN, he could be going fotr top job of Secretary General.

Also fingured in the audit is Minister of Labour Henry Mussa, one of the front-line troops of the DPP government .

Mussa is also government Chief Whip in parliament and Chiradzulu East Member of Parliament.

NAO spokesperson Lawrence Chinkhunda and ACB publicist  Egritta Ndala were coy to comment on the audit files , saying they were not an indictment of anybody but investigations into how government lost billions.

However, sources at NAO indicated the list of people implicated include senior ministers Chaponda and Mussa.

NAO could not give details of the files submitted to ACB.

In a June 19 2015, NAO said the  audit analysis had identified significant discrepancies between payments made from government bank accounts and cashbook records held in the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (Ifmis), the government’s electronic payment system.

Revelations of the K577 billion cashgate came hot on the heels of a forensic audit report by British firm, RSM (formely called Baker Tilly), that established that K24 billion was looted from Capital Hill between April and September 2013 under the administration of Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP).

Banda is on record saying “ There must be a stubborn link between the MK577 billion scandal of 2009 and 2012 and the MK20 billion cashgate of 2013.”

The K577 billion cashgate audit report will be a stern test to President Peter Mutharika committement to fight corruption without fear or favour.

Corruption in Malawi is severe, well-known, cuts across many sectors, and is frequently debated and discussed in the media.

Such corruption undermines human rights in multiple ways: a direct defiance of the rule of law and accountability. By unlawfully interfering with resources that should be available to realize fundamental rights such as the rights to health, water, food, and education—either through illegally appropriating public funds for personal wealth or rendering access to services subject to bribes, which are illegal—corruption leads to violations of human rights that may have disastrous consequences.

Observers also note that lack of political will has crippled Malawi’s anti-corruption  bureau, undermining their efforts through political interference and threats.

Given Malawi’s political patronage system, it is highly unlikely that President Mutharika will put his trusted ministers in the dock .

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
19 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
zombe
zombe
7 years ago

Iwe Zoona ndiwe mbuzi ya munthu,no wonder you married a prostitute.Busy rejoicing when your brothers and sisters survives on mbewa and ziwala in the south its pathetic.Mbuzi za mutundu wa anthu.Highly populated with no plans.Marasmas…kkkkkkkk

Vyaluta
7 years ago

and Parliamernt will allow these rotten figures to be part of them shame our MPs

kakilo
kakilo
7 years ago

Dpp are thieves sizinawonekenso

Mgift
7 years ago

TatoPA KUDYESA ANTHU AKUMWERA PANOPA ROAD BLOCK PA JENDA NO MORE MAIZE GOING TU SOUTH MBULI ZA ZAZINTHU . KUVOTERA KUTI NDI WAKWATHU NDI MAVUTO , ZOTI NDIWAKWATHU BWENZI OBAMA SANAKHALE PRESIDENTCKU AMERRICA UMBULIII NDI MATENDADI

zoona
zoona
7 years ago
Reply to  Mgift

Alipo munthu wanzeru amene angavotere mtumbuka? Surprisingly agalu inu mwadzadza kumwera busy polluting the environment. The problem with you Tumbukas is that you wrongly think you deserve more when you are the useless bunch. Am Tonga i would rather be with Southerners than Tumbukas you tribalistic god forsaken tribe. You would want all dogs to be Tumbuka. Why dont you tell all Tumbukas to leave Southern and Central Regions so that they settle in the North? I fail to understand why this stupid govt doesnt want you to secede and become independent. Kumangotinyasa daily chimanga chakwatu simuchiwona as if mumalima… Read more »

prof. Odiyayo
prof. Odiyayo
7 years ago

Do we need courts to handle this matter? The answer is no. But mob justice should apply

Mbekeyani Banda
Mbekeyani Banda
7 years ago

DPP is a party of thieves and crooks kupanda kusamala they will rule for 70 years. Crooks dont lose elections. Mbava zingaluze? Never.

APM
APM
7 years ago

Panopa ndiba zambiri chifukwa palibe angandichotse pa mpando. Ndimayesa kapena Chakwera koma aaaa chitsilu chenicheni chili phwi ku central region pomwe ma votes ali ku south.

Pano tiba K800bn. Tulo amalawi.

Generation of vipers
Generation of vipers
7 years ago
Reply to  APM

Why calling Chakwera names? Mmesa anthu akumwera amavota basing on tribal lines. Syndrome yake ndi yomwe uja, titha kumavutika bola achimwene akulamulira

Patrick Maxy
Patrick Maxy
7 years ago

Let’s be honest, chakwera sakutithandiza. Too much low energy!!! MCP needs a more aggressive leader. Someone hungry enough for votes in the south.

Cosmas Gochisale
Cosmas Gochisale
7 years ago

No wonder they eliminated Issa Njauju to entrench fear in ACB. No wonder they were against independence of the ACB. No wonder they don’t want to follow what their own manifesto on trimming powers of the president. Stupid DPP

Wa muliyenda
7 years ago

A country of thieves leaders,till when doing this? Just putting all of these riches in your pocket,why don’t you pay old people in the country?Why don’t you pay people with disabilities in the country? And why don’t you build houses for the poor?Very soon God will restore Malawi in finacially.

Mkomavi
Mkomavi
7 years ago

Lets now see the Power of the president, You talk alot of the small amount do something on this big cashgate, mumangowonelera Amayi while big robbers are in DPP, Chaponda you want to be president but you are a useless person, You get to yourself all the money intended for projects in the north be ashamed Gwape.

Read previous post:
Karonga to prove their Hygience worth,  Eagles seek to regain top spot: Malawi TNM Super League

As Malawi TNM Super League enters week number 12, rookies Karonga United have a huge task of proving that their 1-0...

Close