Malawi opposition MPs force govt to investigate US$48000 airport ‘lift-gate’
Opposition members of parliament on Tuesday took the government to task for paying US$48000 airport lift for Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, a lift which never came.
This was brought to the House by Chitipa South MP Welani Chilenga.
He said the government has been paying for the new lift since 2014 up to last year when the whole amount was paid out.
The legislators wondered how the government could pay the whole amount before the lift was brought to KIA.
They dubbed this ‘lift gate’ and told the government to investigate the issue.
They said it was surprising that the government kept on paying the money to a bogus Kenyan company which later vanished in thin air.
Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu conceded the government is failing to trace the Kenyan company after it pocked the money.
He, however, said the government is working with Kenyan authorities to trace officials of the company which has since disbanded.
Tembenu said a Japanese company, Mitsubish recommended the government to deal with the Kenyan company on the procurement of the airport lift.
“It is our hope that the company will be found and be dealt with accordingly,” said Tembenu.
Rumphi East MP Kamlepo Kalua wondered why no due diligence was made or investigations on whether the compnay is genuine or bogus.
Tembenu tried to defend but received boos from the backbenchers.
“The official from the company came to inspect the speciafications and said there were some aspects lacking and they needed to inform Mitsubishi about the correct equipment to be installed.
“If the compnay is insolvent, we will file cliam. There is no need to be despondent,” said Tembeni.
The minister conceeded Malawi government was duped in the ‘lift-gate’.
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Amalawi mukamapanga makometi musamazibise nchifukwa chake mbavazi zimaona kuti Muli ndi matha.Chilungamo ndi chilungamo Bodza ndi bodza chosani matha olo atakudziwani kodi freedom of expression kulibe ku Malawi?Ngati mukukamba chilungamo palibe chochitila matha.Sizomangoti Mulungu atimenyera nkhondo,Mulungu amangwiritsa ntchito anthu amene ali ndi chikhulupiliro mwa Iye.Ma Bumboklaat amene mukuwaopawa alibe chikhulupiliro mwa Mulungu nchifukwa chake akupanga zimenezi Mulungu salephera mufunse David kuti anagonetsa bwanji goliyati?chotsani mantha mbamvazi ndi mbuzi mapeto.
Mr President. when people are saying you not in control they refer things like this. this in an inside racket. Who contacted the Kenyan? How did the Kenyan know about the lift? Who authorised the payment? when did this company register in Kenya? Who were the directors? This is what happened at Ntchisi hospital where a boss at health headquarters recommended a contractor to renovate an old hospital into staff accommodation. This boss was pushing the staff at the district hospital to pay this contractor all the money and when the contractor was paid he disappeared. The renovation was never… Read more »
Without dividing the nation, we need MPs like him that can do more researches on what this rotten government is hiding because regarding to this lift gate, surely this is another inside crime, how did Kenyan company know that KIA is in need of.
In this way of finding such criminal activities helps much to catch these maggots.
Its always tough of course to find evidence as technology has given them stupid ideas of burning the offices for their seek of being innocent perpetrators.
Is it that we as Malawi citizens cant get a way of normalize the government?
The way things are happening in our country you sometimes wonder if leadership is in control
All what makes news now is theft of government monies and nobody seems to care. Somebody said ‘if you don’t fire the minister then the minister fires the ministry ‘. Already one ministry has been fired and more are likely to follow. Cry the beloved country, Nyasaland
Now which gate is it? transport ministrygate or finance ministrygate?
allas! another thiefgate ine ndiye zikapitilira nditulukatu DPP ikundichititsa manyazi. will it be transport ministergate or goodlegate this time around please investigate all ministries
Usilesi Tumbuka people. kulimbana ndi akumwela kodi. go and hang olo wait for your turn.
Cashgate, tractorgate, maizegate, liftgate
Obviously this is an inside job. Contracts such as these are usually paid in part after inspection, verification and certification of the works. And surely all this stuff was done, only that it was done dubiously…Claims will be filed but don’t we already know how that is going to turn out…maybe someboby’s office will catch fire…Solution to all this, I think nafe tingolowa m’boma kuti tizigawana nawo ndalama zimenezi mwina zingasiye kutipweteka.
Very sad indeed!!!!!!!!