Simbi financed Chakwera campaign, nothing to hide but no favours – State House

State Residences director of communications and executive assistant to President Lazarus Chakwera has said there is nothing to hide that South Africa-based business mogul Simbi Phiri of Khato Civils is connected to the Malawi leader and supported his election campaign but that he will not get preferential treatment in doing business with government.

Kampondeni: Nothing to hide
Chakwera (left) with MCP veep Sidik Mia and business magnet Simbi Phiri

Simbi Phiri has been honest and transparent enough to state that he has provided financial support to two of the country’s major political parties—Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of Chakwera.

In DPP, Simbi Phiri supported the party and mainly through Ben Phiri the former minister.

Simbi is also on record to have said individual politicians from MCP, DPP and even Aford—especially those seeking parliamentary seats—have also gone to him with begging bowls.

He has drilled boreholes for them in their names and helped with other resources because, according to him, he believed those individuals would contribute to national development in a patriotic manner.

Responding to a journalist question during the third session of the newly-introduced State House Press Office weekly briefing at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday, Kampondeni acknowledged the personal relationship of President Chakwera and Simbi, whose Khato Civil have a multi-billion kwacha Salima-Lilongwe Water project.

“You are right in saying that Mr Simbi Phiri is on record, publicly, saying that he has financed various campaigns across the country, not just at presidential level. He has also made contributions to parliamentary races and so forth. He has, made that public and the President has never said anything publicly to contradict him” said Kampondeni.

President Chakwera’s spin doctor added: “ You also mentioned that one of his contributions to the President’s campaign was a contribution of a motor  vehicle and that the vehicle was part of declaration of assets published in the local papers which is something no President in this country has ever done to have their assets published in the local newspapers. There is nothing to hide regarding the contributions of that vehicle.”

Phiri— whose home in Mchinji is only 20 kilometres away to Chakwera’s — has shown he has nothing and no reason to hide anything because he does it out of conviction, not necessarily expecting politicians to grant him business favours once they happen to have the power to do so.

State House  prolocutor  pointed out that the Salima- Lilongwe Water Project, designed to pump and deliver 50 million litres of potable water from Salima to Lilongwe City every day over a distance of abour 120 kilometers  was initiated before during the DPP administration led by immediate-past president Peter Mutharika.

The project is currenly financed in the 2020/21 national budget.

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Samuel Chilenje
Samuel Chilenje
3 years ago

In all fairness call for bidders to compete for this Salima water project. It was wrong for DDP to hand pick Simbi. Single sourcing with a justification that he is political parties financier tantamount to corruption at the highest order. God save Malawi from these greedy political angles

Pedegu ku state House
3 years ago

Thanks for declaring this bribery to the public. We have kept record. And we believe that Simbi is still palm-oiling Chakwera todate. How come that Simbi shall do the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project by himself and also grab the water project contact himself? Mwatansatu pachibale panu ku State House ko.

Central
Central
3 years ago

Nanunso inu….! Don’t you know that it is the role of every contractor to do their own EIA to justify their actions and or costs? Awanso……………..! What do you think this (your comments and or actions) is displaying on yourself?

Mapopa
Mapopa
3 years ago
Reply to  Central

Nyau iwe

Ken Phiri
Ken Phiri
3 years ago

Pumping 50,000,000 litres every day from Lake Malawi in Salima-Lilongwe Project. This lake will dry up one day. Mark my words.

Noxy
3 years ago

Transparency sometimes kills

Tonse
Tonse
3 years ago

Son In-law simunthu wamba timva zambiri keep it up informing the nation, like my case didn’t know all this

Ngombwax
Ngombwax
3 years ago

If Chakwera indeed had nothing to hide, why didn’t he declare during his Asset Declaration exercise that the car was a gift from Simbi, as opposed to some invisible “well-wisher”? Crucially, such expensive gifts to politicians come at a cost to us all because they have a potential of being deeply corrupting. We would like to know what was the quid pro quo in this case. The Salima-Lilongwe water pipe contract, perhaps? Instead of having an independent entity assess the environmental impact of the project, apparently Simbi himself will do the assessment. Who does business like that? Whom do you… Read more »

Kwacha
Kwacha
3 years ago
Reply to  Ngombwax

Ngombwax, imwani madzi, muchira!!!!

Esnat
Esnat
3 years ago
Reply to  Ngombwax

It is actually not uncommon for a client to do own EIA. That is allowed. No issues about that. Ubulutu winawu osamawonetsela pagulu man.

Last edited 3 years ago by Esnat
The Knight Templar
The Knight Templar
3 years ago
Reply to  Esnat

Yes its allowed and also allowed to scrutinize the relationship. Especially where the financier has the ability to influence leadership in one way or the other. Its obvious a business person finances a party for the sake of business opportunities, lobbying etc. No one would be surprised that the Salima Water Project has been rushed once again and maintained Khato without floating it back to bidders after the initial challenges.

Kambewa Ngozo
3 years ago
Reply to  Ngombwax

Foseki
You cadet when Mbuyanu come back from USA to Malawi he had nothing. Koma within a short time koma kulemela very rich. How can you justify that

Del
Del
3 years ago

In the laws of malawi, what is the maximum value of a gift to a public officer

Leader of Operations
3 years ago
Reply to  Del

$87 trillion US

NZERU NKUPANGWA
NZERU NKUPANGWA
3 years ago

hahaha

CULTURE
CULTURE
3 years ago

Keep on revealing son in-law. This is your time. My friend son in-law there is no free lunch, mark my words. It is a matter of time, this is politics not a family issue.

myfriend
myfriend
3 years ago

IF YOU claim that chakwera is honest why doesnt he reveal the contents of the agreement that he signed with Chilima. if he is honest where did he get the M35million thathe distributed to his MPs.

The Aristocrat
The Aristocrat
3 years ago
Reply to  myfriend

You’ve missed the point bwana. That’s not the issue here, and the statement is “he has nothing to hide” not ” he is honest”.

Kambewa Ngozo
3 years ago
Reply to  myfriend

Koma
A Malawi has some people who have been bought to talk shit about the current government

Kubaya mpaka kuboola mkati
Kubaya mpaka kuboola mkati
3 years ago
Reply to  Kambewa Ngozo

Kambewa Ngozo Kamuzu also came here empty handed with just a briefcase and bodza

Alamu Pumani Mwakalamba

Unlike MCP, dpp was using public funds from MACRA, MERA, ESCOM, Water Boards etc. They stole money from the public to Mulli to used it for campaign. Simbi has been MCP through out and when dpp discovered this they worked hard to cancel the water project contract and even fired the CEO for LWB. Let dpp rest in pieces.

Marcopolo
Marcopolo
3 years ago

Do you know that the Press conferences being conducted are being sponsored by MACRA and State House is demanding 3 million weekly from MACRA?

Just keep bubbling a lot will come out shortly.

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