Ministry of Agriculture goofed on Minister Chaponda ‘contradictory’ statements on maizegate, says PS Maganga
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Erica Maganga has come in defence of Minister George Chaponda, saying it is the ministry which made mistakes in the press release giving contradictory statements in the misprocurement of maize from Zambia.
Malawi’s flagship newspaper, The Daily Times had put Chaponda on spotlight after he claimed he went to Zambia on two occasion to discuss the maize deal when he led a three man delegation on 8th May, 2016 and then on 11th December, 2016, as a special Envoy of the President Peter Mutharika to meet Zambian leader Edgar Lungu.
But the newspaper in its story titled ‘Chaponda lied onmaize deal’, says the minister might have been to Zambia “more than twice”.
The paper noted that the dates Chaponda mentions “contradicts” with what President Peter Mutharika said on October 21, 2016 at a news conference upon returning to UN summit.
The President is quoted saying on October 21 that Chaponda was in Zambia signing maize purchase deal with President Lungu.
Meanwhile, Maganga told Nyasa Times in an interview that Chaponda went to Zambia only twice as a Special Envoy to President Mutharika only to discus maize deal.
“The Minister went to Zambia in May and October 2016 [and not December]. The ministry has to be blamed for giving wrong date of December, we mixed the Zambian trip with Mbeya Tanzania trip where the minister went to sign for Songwe River Basin Water Development Program,” said Maganga.
Chaponda said he was happy that the ministry has clarified about the dates and they are now on the same page because that is what he has been telling Malawians all along.
The Minister maintained his involvement was minimal as the main buyer of the maize was the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) and not his ministry.
There has been calls from civil society organisation (CSOs) for Chaponda and Admarc chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe to resign and pave the way for investigations into the issue.
The minister has flatly refused to resign, denying any wrong doing.
Meanwhile, deputy director of information Gideon Munthali has since said there is no way a Minister can resign based on hearsays.
Munthali said the President has set the commission of Inquiry to establish the truth on what really happened.
“So let’s give chance to the commission of inquiry,” said Munthali.
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This is the problem with our MP’S regardless of the party they belong ,They would have stand up to tell the President ,This Minister need to be given forced leave in order to have a smooth investigation, this man you call President is not serious with this issue, the so called [commission of Inquiry} need room to investigate, after all this is a big theft case of public finance .The President needs to know he is serving the country not the party. The key role of his duties is to serve Malawians at large .
If Chaponda do resign the commission of inquiry will establish the truth so he will remain in office to hide the evidence and the President can not fire Chaponda becoz they r both thieves
Chaponda and Mulumbe should resign we are tired of them(thieves)apa zikuonekelathu that our president is backing for them.Zautsilu basi.
At first the opposition was claiming that there is hunger in this country and the president should do something to save Malawians. The opposition even alleged that people have started dying of hunger. They thought that APM will fail to bring-in maize. Now that the staple food is brought in the country the opposition is trying to belittle the good job that is why all this nonsense talk of Chaponda, chaponda, chaponda. If people are not buying maize from ADMARC as you say, where are they getting the maize for food? We have not reached the harvest period yet, you preached hunger all along, where is the hunger gone if ADMARC maize is not being bought? APM is not a fool that he can be taking everything you tell him. He knows that as opposition whatever you tell him is aiming at weakening or destroying his party. You made noise on the 7 ministers but no one is giving evidence against them yet the report is in your custody{PAC}. There is nothing the opposition or CSOs can advise APM on how to govern this country. Chakwera is still licking the 2014 wounds and up to now he has never accepted defeat. How can such a man give a good advice to a man who is on the seat he is crying for? Kodi woyenda naye bawo amakuuzira mtaji? APM should never ever get any advice from Chakwera and these fake CSOs.
Erica any press release before being published is scrutinized (carefully cross-checked) by a PS. If you failed to do so then you should also resign as a PS because you cannot be trusted. Why back a hyena, frog like Chaponda? Nonsense just resign Chaponda.
We can all now see that Peter and Chaponda are indeed crooks. Chaponda is now pressuring ministry officials to make up stories. That is why the calling for him to step down pending investigations was necessary. In this situation neither the PS nor the ministry is to blame for coming out to cover Chaponda up because they also need to save their jobs. The blame should rather go to President and/or all Malawians to allow Chaponda to continue enjoy the privilege of running the ministry while he is being investigated. It is only in Malawi where such a thing can happen. Malawi is now a laughing stock of the world because what is happening at the moment is a joke of the century. Erica Maganga is just an individual and we cant expect her to resist pressure when every one else chooses to fold hands and watch from a distance. Others have said it before that Malawians fail to fight for their rights thinking that other people should be fighting for them. While the issues of abortion might be necessary to match for, the issue of corruption is much more necessary because it directly affect the lives of people. One wonders the logic to keep quite on such an important issue and make noise on abortion that could only affect few and those that chose to do so. Thinking in upside down is what has made Malawi fail to tick for so many years.
It’s simple:
You resign and pave way for investigation. When you are cleared, you can still be appointed a minister.
Why is it so hard in Africa?
Who paid for Chaponda’s press release. Seems TAX payers footed the blill
Madam P/S t’s sad that your backing won’t appease us. Where were you all along.We can’t and will never trust a single word from your mouth.Just shut up you crooked hyena
The country is in shit and you think this is fun bull sheet
Have you read what is been written in Zambian newspapers on maizegate ? Read and you will get the truth. Shame on you
Dr Gerald Shawa writes ‘Maganga ndi mulhomwe, Chaponda ndi mulhomwes so’. This reveals alot. Nkhani yakula apa ndi nsanje and kaduka. Mmafuna akanakhala achewa kapena atumbuka? Muyaluka simunati. DPP is here to stay.
This is typical indicator that there is underground work of changing paper work. to seal off. the truth. Neither commission of enquery nor ACB. investigations will yield anything as long as DPP is power.The sourve truth. is anyway going to be suffocatef.. Watch out! these people are busy stealing money for buying victory in 2019.
This was a conspiracy against Chaponda clearly. By who? I don’t know. All I know it is a big political manoeuvre by the churches, mcp, cso. I won’t mention ma tribes cause as Malawians we should stop tribalism.
Are these corrections to the letter cum press release by the Minister? Madam PS why did you not check the letter or press release before it was issued to media houses? This is the most stupid spin doctoring I have ever seen in my life. To be honest this now shows that the Minister is complicit in the deals and no cover up will do the appeasement.
No matter the outcome of enquiry, the results shall not hold water because the most needful thing was to have him step aside, to pave way for invistigation go without interfearance. No body invistigates a huhe man like chaponda while he is still I charge of ministry and establish unbised results.
The govnt has lost it all, today its okay go ahead with that unpopural decicion, but you will pay dearly for shilding chaponda. Malawians are adults now than ever before, the best thing my govnt would have done they know it well, but chose to do unprofessionally way, I give you 0/10 for this decision
I’ve known Mrs. Erica Maganga for quite a long time. I respect her so much in as far as professionalism is concerned. I just wonder why she has decided to stoop so low to speak in defense on the Minister George Chaponda who alongside Mr. Mulumbe have pocketed about 9-billion Malawian Kwacha out of the maize transaction. Unless if you tell me that you’ve been palm oiled to twist the truth. If that’s the case then I am afraid you have just asked for God’s wrath and you’ll be stricken to death alongside Chaponda and Mulumbe. God doesn’t want liers and thieves who steal from the poor. MUFA NDITHU IMFA YA SAFIRA NDI ANANIYA!
Conived iyyyaaa zausilu
Maganga ndi mulhomwe, Chaponda ndi mulhomwes so. What do you expect from such stinking combination?
Malawi full of f…k and shit
U mean if they were tumbukas, ngoni or chewas it will be the same thing eti? Or ur saying only lhomwes can do this.
Lhomwes bad tribe ever. KuBAKILANA on useless stupid self destructive behaviours.
TSANKHO MUSIYE PLZ
Ndiye ife amenewo, Mulira simunati..Lomwe the ruling tribe in Malawi
Only lomwes can do this. Don’t you know that
Conived iyyyaaa zaisilu
Just say he Cant resign because he has ppresident’s blessings on theft