Ombudsman demands beneficiaries’ apology

The Office of the Ombudsman Friday in Lilongwe asked the beneficiaries to apologies to Malawians after mismanaging a 2011 loan worth $50,000,000 through a report produced after their investigations.

According to the report produced by the Office of the Ombudsman the tractors were suppose to be given to farmers to improve agricultural standards in the country after the parliament proceedings which approved with the aim of ensuring that Malawi become self sufficient as far as food production is concerned.

Public relations officer of the Office of Ombudsman, Arthur Semba said that they have send the report to various ministries, organisations and all that were beneficiaries in the maladministration.

“We cannot discuss what it contains but just to share what the Office of the Ombudsman has done so far related to the issue of illegal selling of tractors,” he said.

“The Office of the Ombudsman has power under section 123 (1) of the constitution to investigate any and all cases where it is alleged that a person has suffered injustice, unfair treatment and abuse of power by any organ of the government,” Semba said.

The government of Malawi obtained three loans consecutively in the period of 2008 to 2012 from a bank in India to help in the sector of agriculture so that Malawi turns into an exporting country other than an ever importing country.

According to the report produced by the Office of the Ombudsman, the 2008 loan agreement indicates that Malawi procured plant and equipment from India for the Youth Development Fund, tractors, graders for PVHS, irrigation equipment for the GBI and 2011 loan the cotton ginning facilities at Ngabu in Chikhwawa, Balaka and Karonga were established.

This again is the loan that was used to procure 177 tractors for OVOP.

The 2012 loan was used for establishment of a sugar processing factory in Malawi, construction of fuel storage facilities in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre and establishment of small irrigation networks in Karonga.

OVOP is an initiative that works with cooperatives or groups with the aim of promoting value addition. It targets income generation and wealth creation for local communities.

The whole story started with complaints that were brought from a local farmer and a member of parliament between the months of March and April 2016 about the alleged maladministration and related irregularities in the management of the goods and services bought under the loan of US$50,000,000 of 2011.

“We were promised tractors but we cannot access the tractors which seem to be totally different from what our government initially promised,” said the local farmer.
Malawians could have been informed of the change of the plans before they were implemented because they are the ones who were suppose to benefit from the loans and Malawians are the ones who will pay back the loan through taxes.

After the investigation the office of ombudsman made hearings, they found out there was abuse of power and illegal selling of the machinery and demands apology from this beneficiaries.

“What we recommend now are the beneficiaries to look into the report and follow what is saying so that we reduce cases related to maladministration,” Semba said.

According to report produced by the office of the ombudsman, they are 68 beneficiaries in the mismanagement of 2011 loan. Among them are members of the parliament, civil servants and other organisation.

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