MP Harry Mkandawire claims $230 000 loot in Malawi embassies
Mzimba West member of Parliament (MP) Harry Mkandawire has told Parliament that there is systematic looting – Cashgate at some of the country’s foreign missions which has led to the loss of about – $230 000.
Mkandawire, who is also Parliamentary Government Assurances Committee chairperson, made the remarks in the House when he asked Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emmanuel Fabiano if it is a normal procedure to have a Principal Secretary instructing an embassy to be issuing government cheques to public servants.
He claimed money realised from the Visa fees revenue is being siphoned through such remittances.
According to Mkandawire, about $250 000 has so far been misappropriated.
The ministry attributed the weak internal financial expenditure controls and procurement systems for embassies as contributing to recent cases of embezzlement and mismanagement.
Principal Secretary (PS) Isaac Munlo is on record saying irregularities and unprocedural procurement processes in the ministry led to millions of taxpayers’ money going down the drain.
The queries come against the background of misappropriation of K293 million at the Malawi Embassy in Ethiopia which was siphoned from the public purse to personal bank accounts of some officers.
In November 2016, a National Audit Office (NAO) preliminary review of use of funds in Malawi’s embassies showed an entrenched culture of flouting public finance management systems.
The report said about K538 million was mismanaged by way of ignoring set rules in the Public Finance Management Act of 2003.
Mkandawire is known to be revealing scandals in Parliament. Last year he exposed the missing of 250 passports at the Immigration Department, saying a consignment of passports that Immigration Department received on December 9 2016, from Technobrain, the supplier of the booklets, had one box containing the missing 250 passport booklets numbered MW853501 to MW853750.
Thiefty is the slogan of DPP. Follow, follow, follow the leader. If you are DPP do what DPP is doing; “if you are in Rome do what the Romans do”.
So bwana Harry ndi auditor yemwe analemba nchito yowunika China muma embassy. Pitilizani nchito imeneyi. Takunyadirani.
Mphongo zogona kukhomokosatseka
The issue of passport not yet concluded.. ndiye pano tikumva izi.. takatani anyamata ndi madona, azibambo ndi azimayi.. ndi nthawi yanu.. nanga nkutani ngat akulu akulu akugona… or ali pa sogolo ndi zichitochito ngat zomwezo
DPP inatumiza alomwe okhaokha ku ma embassy, kuba ndi khalidwe lawo
Dude are you for real? Monga zooti mma embassy mwadzadza a Tumbuka si ukudziwa? Koma iwe umadzitsata bwinobwino? Mwachitsanzo kuno ku South Africa bwera uzaone. Tisiyeni alhomwefe tipume please.
Harry Mkandawire, a northerner, should be worried about MCP who claim that the North does not deserve the level of development it is getting under DPP. The MCP spokesperson on financial matters told parliament on Monday, 19th February that the North was getting too much development compared to other regions, despite the north being the least populated region. This means that in the very unlikely event that MCP wins elections next year, development in the north will grind to a halt. Therefore, vote wisely northerners.
Zamkutu!