More heads roll in Malawi civil service: 10 PS, 28 DCs interdicted

President Lazarus Chakwera  who promised heads will roll  and fired the head of the disaster management department and the Presidential taskforce on Covid-19 co-chair, and suspended further officials, over the K6.2 billion Covid-19 response funds feared mismanaged has intensified the crackdown with 10 principal secretaries (PSs), 28 district commissioners (DCs) and five other senior officers interdicted.

President Chakwera fires several officials and warns ‘no penny meant for saving lives will be stolen, abused or wasted’

Chakwera on Sunday removed Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) commissioner James Chiusiwa alongside Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 co-chairperson Dr John Phuka for purported technical slips.

The PSs or controlling officers suspended are from ministries of Health; Gender, Community Service and Social Welfare; Labour; Education; Homeland Security; Agriculture; Lands; Local Government; and Information.

The presidential press secretary Brian Banda has  confirmed the new shake-up, saying the concerned controlling officers and Covid-19 response cluster heads have also been suspended from their substantive positions in the public service.

“They were in these Covid-19 clusters based on their posts and not as individuals,” he said.

Besides the 28 DCs, the interdictions have also extended to chief executive officers for Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba city councils; Kasungu and Luchenza municipal councils and Mangochi Town Council, according to Banda.

When officers appeared before the taskforce with their reports on how they spent 6.2bn kwacha (£5.8m), only one official had properly backed up reports.

Pressure had been mounting on the President to prove how the millions set aside for planning and public awareness, facilitating the return of Malawians from South Africa border patrols and supporting victims of gender-based violence was being spent.

Chakwera  said the pandemic called for “strong leadership”.

The Presidet said there will be “ a full forensic audit, which the national audit office has already begun, and a full and independent investigation, which the director of public prosecutions has requested the Malawi Police Service to conduct as a matter of urgency.”

He announced that 100,000 additional doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine secured through the African Union would arrive in Malawi this week for the protection of health workers.

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Wisdom Reigns
Wisdom Reigns
3 years ago

COVID corruption firings and theft matters aside. The law will deal with that.
My issue is on the AstraZeneca vaccine which many other countries have either banned or suspended. Why are we accepting it and giving 100 000 doses to frontline healthcare workers.
#AtilodzaNdani

MBAVA
MBAVA
3 years ago

Can we have the list of the Mbavazo please???

Justice for all
Justice for all
3 years ago

Mr President fire ur minutes as well they are of the parcel don’t spare them pls u cleaning the rubble but u leaving other rubble behind it won’t make sense

Aneneli Onyenga
3 years ago

Chakwera has not honoured his promise of 1million jobs and he is constantly pleading for mercy, patience and for more time from us Malawians. He is getting away with it pretty well with nothing to show in 9 good months. Now how come that Chakwera is failing to understand that the 48hrs which he gave covid cluster heads was too short for them to account for K6,200,000,000.00 and he proceeded in sucking them without even hearing from them? Kodi chisonicho tizingomupatsa Chakwera yekha and yet he is terribly ruthless to others? Just look at the way he is treating Chiunda,… Read more »

Kanyimbi
Kanyimbi
3 years ago

Upitako wekha ku msewu kwakoko. Ine ndikulima kumunda.

Castello
Castello
3 years ago

Can someone remind me if anybody was arrested or fired in connection with the K62.5million which was stolen at state house using crossroads hotel? Iwe chakwerangombe udziponya maso ako mbali zonse, mukubisiranji zinazo? Act NOW

Wakwiya ndi kadeti
3 years ago

We are waiting to join the civil service and work faithfully. Just advertise one position and see how many letters you will receive. Even the TTC applications overwhelm the Ministry of education meaning that someone is playing games with a job someone out there is looking for. We cannot keep thieves in government.

Mwalawandere
Mwalawandere
3 years ago

But chakwera we warned you of zanga zanga chikhosi!!he’s putting controlling officers his favourites!!the ones he has been in system together during the dpp reign!!and now you expect that civil service to change it’s behavior and performance?Dull chakwera

Mwalawandere
Mwalawandere
3 years ago

All the time the blame is on politicians!!but it’s these civil servants who are thief’s!!and they are the same who pass this corrupt spirit to politicians!!it’s great chakwera has acted on these crooks!bravo chakwera!!mukaona wina akukwiya dziwani ndi civil servant wakuba!!Ana sapita ku school pa Monday!!Salary anadya ndi mahule amadikila kuti abe

Top cat
Top cat
3 years ago
Reply to  Mwalawandere

What about having all his family working in state house

Sato
Sato
3 years ago

Though action has been taken on the ps’s and DC’s this has to be followed with action on controlling officers at every level in the departments. Money is being wasted like the world is coming to an end. One of the schemes is creation of several activities by the controlling officer from which he claims allowances in some cases 40 night allowances. Then one wonders how it is possible for an officer to claim 40 night allowancs in a month from a single tranche of ORT funds. Most worrying is the thought that governmentauditors do not smell a rat on… Read more »

Zio ine
Zio ine
3 years ago
Reply to  Sato

The biggest thieves are officials from auditor general and accountant general and OPC.

Mapwisi
3 years ago

Mwamuwonatu Mchewa uja nkhanza zake. Soon Chakwera shall surpass Kamuzu in terms of nkhanza. Akati Lazaro wagwira ntchito ndiye kuti wachotsa munthu ntchito really? How can he suck all DCs and PSes? Why not investigate them case by case and then discipline them as such? Phuma limeneli to please who? Atupele was very right when he said Chakwera does not know anything on running government. This nyau style of leadership should be condemned it strongest terms. Look, all these sucked people were reporting everything directly to their ministers, why is it that not even a single minister has been sucked?… Read more »

Dan
Dan
3 years ago
Reply to  Mapwisi

Am not Mchewa but I am solidily v=behind him even if he fired the whole department othe people will serve better than these mogrels robbers and economic vampires over Malawians. They need to go and rot in Jail for good. Adzikangowaponya ku ndende osawayankhulitsa mpakana atapereka ndaramzo basi. Zithsiru

Rodrick Phiri
Rodrick Phiri
3 years ago
Reply to  Mapwisi

Clearing The rubble. Achoka ndithu

Big Kahuna
Big Kahuna
3 years ago
Reply to  Mapwisi

MUlila tu! We are in government now. Kang’wing’wi style.

APM analanditsa BOMA hahahahahahahahaha.

Ife jamming pano ti kudya katatu patsiku.

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