Mist over appointment of new head of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets
Top civil servants have raised alarm over the removal of Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP) acting Director General, Arnold Chirwa, who is said to be replaced bu Ireen Mulewa in controversial circumstance.
ODPP will transform into the Public Procurement and Disposal of Asset Authority, following the enactment of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Bill of June 2017.
PPDA will step up anti-corruption drive in the way public procurement is conducted by increasing capacity building, monitoring, oversight and regulatory activities.
Capital Hill sources say the removal of Chirwa could be as a result of his strict work ethic to spur PPDA functions.
However, Chief Secretary to government, Lloyd Muhara has appointed Ireen Mulewa as the new head of PPDA to replace Chirwa, according to sources.
Mulewa is a close ally to Muhara, according to Capital Hill sources.
Chirwa was appointed acting director general after he replaced Edward Jeke who was removed by the Chief Secretray from the position barely three weeks and moved to Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
Jeke took over from Paul Taulo who was removed and redeployed to Airport Development Limited (ADL) as deputy chief executive officer.
He was working as a deputy director under Taulo.
Chirwa is being removed at a time he was s consulting other stakeholders on how to systematically effect some provisions in the new law which force government to buy a minimum of 60 percent of its procurement needs from black indigenous Malawians.
He has been consulting the Solicitor General who advised the Authority to consult widely before developing the detailed procedures and also study other jurisdictions, where similar provisions are being enforced.
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Technically the position of ODPP was abolish in 2017 and PPDA is a new one. Ma CIVO akudziwa zimenezi. Mwachidzazo Ministry of Water and Irrigation idatha pano kulibe nduna komanso PS wa Unduna wa Madzi ndi mthilira. Amavulara kwambiri pakakhala kusintha (Reform) ndi top most positions. Ndamdutsamo.