MP Mzomera says has ‘nothing to declare’ as assets: ‘I only have a wife and children’

Mzimba Hora legislator Christopher Mzomera Ngwira says he is too broke to declare assets after his creditors applied to the High Court of Malawi to declare him bankruptcy.

Ngwira,  a former deputy Cabinet minister in former president Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration, was declared bankrupt in June this year after allegedly failing to pay $75 222.06 (about K55 million) to Tata Zambia (Malawi Branch) for four pick-up trucks he bought in 2013.

But the High Court’s Commercial Division in Lilongwe has since discharged a bankruptcy order after Ngwira  demonstrated ability to service the contested debt.

Ngwira said this after the Assets Declarations office recommended to Speaker of National Assembly Richard Msowoya to fire him for failing to declare assets as provided by the law.

The officer also recommended that President Peter Mutharika should fire minister of Civic Education Grace Obama Chiumia for her failure to declare her assets.

The declaration of assets is done to curb the rising incidents of corruption in the country by those holding public offices.

“Some people went to court to declare that I am bankrupt so what did you expect me to declare as my assets if people say I am bankrupt? I have nothing to declare,” said Ngwira.

.“Do you I expect me to declare myself, my wife and children as assets? This is ridiculous,” said Ngwira.

The court  discharged Ngwira bankruptcy order on condition that he accrues his National Assembly benefits to Tata, provide details of his property in Area 49 in Lilongwe to the official receiver who should put it up for sale if the official receiver is of the view that the legislator was rightly adjudicated to be bankrupt.

In the 2009 General Elections, Ngwira won the Mzimba Hora parliamentary seat on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket, but joined People’s Party (PP)after Bingu’s death in 2012. He was later fired in PP after advising the party to replace its leader, Joyce Banda with her then vice-president Khumbo Kachali when the party’s leader was in self-imposed exile. Ngwira , who retained the parliamentary seat in 2014 Tripartite Elections, rejoined DPP in June 2017.

Mulanje south west MP George Chaponda claimed he had already declared his assets.

“I duly declared my assets as demanded by the law but probably the declaration form was sent to a wrong office because that was the time when I was being persecuted,” said Chaponda.

Chaponda  said he would give the declaration forms to the right office.

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