Minister Kambala says Hellen Buluma is against supervision at Nocma
Minister of Energy Newton Kambala has said National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) deputy chief executive officer Hellen Buluma is “against supervision,” saying she informed him that she was receiving threats from some officials in government, but the Minister does not believe the threats exist.
Kambala said this in published comment related to her reporting to Anti Corruption Bureau alleging attempts to interfere in awarding of oil supply contracts by the Minister Kambala, presidential adviser on strategy Chris Chaima Banda and Aford president Enoch Chihana.
The named suppliers are Orxy, Finergy, Trafigura and Sahara Energy.
Kambala said he is “very surprised” that Buluma has complained to ACB about him, saying there is no wrong doing on his part.
“I haven’t been involved in any issue that could warrant me to be complained to the Anti-Corruption Bureau,’’ he said.
Kambala said: “Fortunately, she (Buluma) told me that all the discussions were being recorded by her. She can share the information about what we discussed. When she was acting CEO, we started receiving inquiries from some bidders and I directed those people to Nocma because it was not my job. I told these people to call Nocma.”
Buluma claims that Kambala asked her to meet Chihana to, allegedly, negotiate a contract for one of the suppliers.
The Minister said Buluma informed him that she was receiving threats from some officials in government, but said he does not believe the threats exist.
“I don’t believe it’s true that people were threatening her. I asked her, did she confront these people. She could’ve reported the people to police,” said the minister.
On his part, Chihana confirmed that he accompanied officials of Finegy Petroleum, which are his business partners, but only introduced the officials and never participated in their talks or pressured Buluma in any way.
Chaima has refused to comment on the matter, saying he does not believe in litigating matters in the media.
Nocma, state-owned oil company, advertised fuel supply tender for 314.820 metric tonnes (MT) for 2020/2021 fuel supply and Buluma, who was recently removed as acting CEO, claims Kambala, Chaima and Chihana had allegedly been meddling in the tender process with “intent to influence award of fuel supply contracts to specific suppliers.”
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Kambala
buluma
can you just say the truth and we get on with the New Mw we want.
no NONSENSE NOW.
ACB
CIZUMA please help to clear this rubble
So the minister was to supervise the CEO? Sure? Come of think of it again. The cabinet minister supervising……hmmmm. Where are the technocrats in the ministry? mmmmmh bad smell. Something is rotten here!
Inetu ndimawona ngati Bulumayo ndi ka beauty kenakake
The She goat should be fired. She is purely DPP and want to sabotage this. Why was she participating in politics while occupying a public office.
Just resign and pave way for investigation.
Time to get serious with rooting out corruption. May be he did not act alone but clearly the Minister was not smart. Pave the way for investigations Mr Minister. This is a very serious allegation. The tender cannot be held under your headship of the sector even when new management is appointed. You are compromised.
Nde zachibwanatu he says she says basi.
A minister is the overall authority. Suppliers can approach her/him and he/she can direct them to the right offices. In fact a minister can and should advise a CEO. Kambala is a successful business person and he must have brought with him a new results oriented mentality. As for Buluma, what is her endgame? If she cannot work with her minister, who will she listen to? Rule number one, Never outshine the master. 48Rules of Power.
The Minister will not survive this one. He is hooked. Clearly there is wrong doing. These allegations are also supported by the Minister’s defence of use of Tanzanian transporters in fuel haulage two weeks ago. He was for maintenance of status quo. DPP inadya nanenso ndidye syndrome at the expense of Chakwera’s government reputation.
A minister is not the overall authority. Not even the president can advise a company on who to give a tender to. Secondly any supplier who goes directly to a minister shud be disqualified. Any supplier who goes to meet management of a company after submitting a tender should be disqualified. Tender processes are clear. Submit your tenders. If you have questions before submitting a bid there are contact people who are listed to be contacted and a minister is not one of them. This is bad governance and a minister shud be angry with any suppliers who try to contact him.
This total lies; If the minister would not ask the CEO’s about the palastatals day to day work then you are telling me that the CEO’s are powerful than ministers. To me the ministers represent the president and if the minister was inquiring about the tenders does not mean meddling was acting within his capacity. Please give us break…
Chihana should not even have accompanied his business partners because that is conflict of interest
Kodi mesa pa invitation to tender amayikapo adiresi. Chokaperekera kwa a minisitala kapena kukakomana ndi management ndichiyani mmalo mokapereka ku adiresi yomwe ili pa invitation. Nanga omwe siadziwana ndi a minisitala pena management ziwathera bwanji? kolapushoni ija ndiimeneyi. Awo a Kambala ndi a Chihana ayala lawo bedi agonemo tsopano asa. Ife pokavota timafuna kuti uyo amene sadziwana ndi a minisitala, management kapena aliyense mu boma nayenso apeze mwayi opatsidwa kontilaki yopanga supply. Nanga zikamatere zithekanso?
Buluma is a typical woman. Snake..I hardly feel confortable working with ladies..you can get angry that’s non of my business..God created you to be in the kitchen. Paliponse kubudula nyemba not because she is patriotic but coz she she saw nothing for her in.
Where and when did God say a woman’s place is the kitchen? God created woman as HELPER not WORKER FOR MAN. Since when did a helper become the owner of the job? I tell you every work starting from sweeping, mopping, cooking, raising children, providing for the family etc. is for the man. A woman’s job is just to HELP. Now because you men are failing in your God given responsibilities, that is why women are taking over those responsibilities. Seee, now get up to your jobs real men and treat the women as the Queens that they are 🙂 kkkkkkk.
Mogasa, I personally support you wholly I feel not very comfortable working with ladies when you like give some advice especially when they are your senior they feel offended and sometimes take it as underrating their authority.
If indeed Buluma has audio tapes of Kambala directing her to only award contracts to the four companies, then he’s toast! He’s no business interfering in the tender process. On the other hand, if no such tapes as alleged exist, then Buluma will be a laughing stock. Stay tuned …..
WHY DID NOT BULUMA REPORT THE MATTER BEFORE SHE GOT DEMOTED?
SHE HAS A CASE TO ANSWER TOO.
From what Kambala has said, it is clear that he was meddling in the process of awarding contracts and he should not just say ‘I do not believe that Buluma was being threatened’! Let there be investigations to uncover the liars. Kambala admits that at one time bidders were enquiring from him, why? Most likely so that he could influence the bidding process because they knew he is a corrupt person. As for Chihana, there was no need for him to go and personally introduce his business partners? Was it necessary? That introduction is tantamount to influencing the tender awarding process and therefore guilty of corruption. Let thorough investigations be carried out about the issue and the culprits brought to book. Chaima is equally likely to be guilty as there is no smoke without fire!!!!
All these are admissions to wrong doing.Buluma was right!
The reason these Tonse alliance people wanted to be in government was to steal, no more no less. All these are crooks, Lazalo is a naive man without experience, they boys and girls akumusewela dzuwa likuswa ntengo
Every new President comes in without experience. They gain the required experience with time.
I smell a rat here. Let ACB act independently and let’s see how’s telling the truth.
You Tonse Alliance guys you said it yourselves that gonna drain the swamp or clear the ruble yet the ruble is still there 6 months down the line & what goof do you expect from this same swamp that needs to be drained???? If you won’t be careful that system which DPP was proud of is now showing you that it is working. Open your eyes.
By the look of things, especially considering Chihana’s comments, Buluma is probably right. What was the purpose of Chihana introducing his business partner to NOCMA?
And somewhere Kambala is admitting that they were receiving bids when Buluma was acting CEO and they directed the bidders to NOCMA. Why were bids being directed to him or his Ministry when tender documents clearly state the whole process and how it can be cancelled, where tender documents should be forwarded to?
Because he is the Minister in charge of all energy issues, perhaps?
I also think Buluma should be heard. Her life is at stake here.She has reported to ACB against the powerful people and ACB should leave no stone unturned. No one is above the law.
Very true. The evidence is very clear. Only a dump fool or a blind follower can fail to see that tenders are not submitted to ministers and that Chihana should not have escorted and introduced his partners. Corruption at its best!