Mutharika rubbishes ‘fake news’ on corruption report involving Malawi police rations
President Peter Mutharika has dismissed reports that accuses him of fraudulently benefiting from K2.8 billion government contact, calling it “fake news” as part of a ploy to smear him ahead of a national election next year.
The denial came amid reports from several news organisations, citing Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) leaked report that suggest Mutharika may have benefitted from K145 million that a supplier deposited in a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) account for which he is the sole signatory.
Graft-busting body has been investigating a $3.9 million Malawi police food supply contract awarded to Pioneer Investments – a firm owned by an Asian-born Malawian businessman Zameer Karim who reportedly deposited the money.
Mutharika has blamed his detractors for fabricating the matter with malicious intention.
“I did not personally benefit in any way from the contract and that’s why I am concerned about the lack of truth. I am worried about what our country has become in as far as peddling of fake news on social media is concerned,” said Mutharika as quoted by Reuters.
“I do understand that it’s election season and my opponents will come up with all manner of lies to in an attempt to win the hearts and minds of people.”
Malawians next go to the polls in May 2019 to elect the president, parliament and ward councillors.
Mutharika said he had made it clear that graft isn’t acceptable. He said he’d fired a senior cabinet minister George Chaponda who was implicated in wrongdoing, refused to shield senior several government and party officials from investigations and backed greater independence for the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
“We are fighting corruption,” he said in another interview with Bloomberg News. “The massive corruption thing has become more of a cliche, it’s political now. It’s a collective effort. If we all work together we can stop this scourge, but not one person.”
Presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani has also made an apparent attack to vice-president Saulos Chilima to have coordinated and sponsored character assassination campaign against President Mutharika and the DPP.
Kalilani said President Mutharika “never beniffitted” from the police deal “and he did nothing wrong.”
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I wonder if this man you call APM is educated.From the point of view an educated person could have resigned since they are so many allegations against him but he is still clinging to power.Look at what THABO MBEKI did sometime when they told him to resign he did exactly and now he gets respect.Though JACOB ZUMA is not educated but he resigned also.But this man he claims to be educated he can not do so,why?
CSO let’s demonstrate against banks as well. They have been key in corruption. Why do we leave these free?,they will hv to close with demonstrations. They fund corruption in malawi.
Banks note we shall be on you for facilitating stealing.
577 billion check! MSB toxic bail-out check! Maizegate check, 145million check! We are fighting curruption really? 577 was audit quarry on the word go, maize gate was Joseph nthawi yanjara kkkkkk and 145million fake news. Seach me who is professor of thieves?
Anthu ena amalankhula mopanda manyazi ndithu. Tiye nazoni kuno ndi kunja kumayanja lichero. Zingadzakhale zoona mawa mutatuluka mboma kaya 2024 mukunenayi
Dagobert, you appear to have a point. Let the bank’s come out clearly and speak. We also need the bankers of a person constructing a very expensive house at maula in Lilongwe do the same.
If any Malawian wants to seethe face of a thieving nkhalamba then look at the face of this dude! Eish, how else can you explain a donation from a Mwenye who was paid billions of tax payers money a few days before? Corruption …corruption ….corruption! No other explanation agogo inu…..!!!Of this was the US where you stayed for 40 years….the president would have resigned. Shame on you and your thieving party!!!
This is an abomination Sir, its a crime, I cant believe you are trying to find excuses, I’m sick to my stomach
My advice to Peter Muthalika: If you are surrounded by stupid people like Ngolongolindo dont ever think that all Malawians are stupid.This is a straight forward corruption issue, by the way what type of a learned professor are you, Peter Muthalika?.For you, Mgeme Kalirani, go back to school, ka diploma kaja kaya ndi ka law kaya journalism sikanakuthandizeni, your have demonstrated shallow thinking of the highest order.
Embassies and their foreign governments promote this corruption. When it is about gay they come in very fast and rebuke and withdraw funding.but here they are passively follow this. We need to wake them up.
APM is very lucky that Malawians are not south Africans. Ukachoka straight like Zuma. No wonder malawo is poorest coz of its sleeping pipo plundered by their own leaders.
Zikundiwawa. DPP chipani chokuba