NEEF, Kamwendo Insist Clerics Benefitted From K8.3 Billion Loans — Religious Bodies Deny Knowledge

Presidential Adviser on Religious Affairs Rev. Brian Kamwendo and the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) are standing by their claim that 5,300 clerics have benefitted from K8.3 billion in loans—despite major religious umbrella bodies distancing themselves from the scheme.

Speaking in an interview last evening, Kamwendo shrugged off the growing skepticism from Malawi’s top religious institutions, saying the loans were deliberately targeted at “fraternal clerics” under a pilot phase of the Faith Leaders Empowerment Scheme, not through official church channels.

“We started with the fraternal because this was just a pilot phase with an expectation that we will later engage the mother bodies. So, it is not strange that they don’t know who have benefitted,” Kamwendo explained.

Echoing his remarks, NEEF credit manager Whyghtone Mweta clarified that the clerics accessed the funds after forming groups, and were engaged in various businesses like grocery shops, farming, and mobile money services.

“They are part of the broader ecosystem of Malawian entrepreneurs. We treat them as any eligible Malawian who can benefit from Neef loans,” said Mweta.

But the explanation has done little to quell concerns from the country’s main religious institutions.

The Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB), the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC), and the Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) have all publicly distanced themselves from Kamwendo’s announcement made during the July 5 national worship service marking Malawi’s 61st independence anniversary.

MCCB general secretary Fr. Valeriano Mtseka said he was unaware of any Catholic cleric—bishop or priest—who had benefitted from the loans.

MCC board chairperson Rev. Billy Gama, whose council comprises 21 denominations, was equally stunned. “Actually, I was right there at the prayers and I was shocked when I heard that statement. To the best of my knowledge, no one [from MCC] has benefitted. It might have been a political statement,” Gama said.

MAM spokesperson Sheikh Dinala Chabulika said his association moved quickly to verify Kamwendo’s claims—only to find “zero” beneficiaries among its members.

“Write [the story] and tell them [government] that we [MAM] haven’t found anyone [who received Neef loans],” said Chabulika.

The confusion comes barely two weeks after Neef refuted a separate report alleging that K5.8 billion was disbursed to just 11 pastors under a purported presidential initiative—raising further questions about transparency and targeting.

Neef, which rebranded in 2020 as an economic empowerment vehicle, said earlier this year it aimed to disburse K150 billion to over 400,000 farmers and entrepreneurs by March 2025. By January this year, the fund had already disbursed K184 billion, reaching over 200,000 Malawians.

Still, the current saga underscores a deeper issue: a glaring communication gap between government initiatives and the very institutions expected to anchor trust among faith-based communities.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :