Speaker orders forensic audit of Karonga council

Malawian Speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Msowoya has ordered the ministry of local government to immediately conduct a forensic audit in Karonga  district council  over financial transactions reports that management is allegedly failing to release.

Speaking during an emergency meeting which was also attended by officials from the ministry of local government in the district on Monday aiming at ironing out the administrative problems, Msowoya who is a lawmaker from the district,  threatened to take a legal action if the council officials fail to release all the necessary financial documents.

Msowoya pointed out that apart from producing the financial status of the council, the district should also conduct ward to ward financial account especially on how the Local and Constituency Development funds were being spent before the 2014 to 2015 budget started  operating.

“It is so sad that over50 years of independence Malawi is still lagging behind in terms of development just because few greedy people in different government sectors are jeopardizing funds meant for poor people,” said the Speaker.

Msowoya said he will held to ensure Karonga is not denied its fair share of national development because of some greedy few ‘cashgaters’.

“We need to know how funds were used,” he said.

Member of Parliament of Karonga Central constituency Frank Mwenefumbo welcomed the call for forensic audit.

Mwenefumbo said there is need for an investigation into the use of the funds to clear the suspicions.

“A forensic audit is really needed and the  wrong doers should be accountable for their actions,” said Mwenefumbo.

The council’s deputy chairperson Ernest Mwalughali said councillors want to appreciate how the funds were used and have a background of how the system works, but management is not willing to disclose

On his part the Paramount Chief Kyungu  asked  government to consider transferring all officers who have over stayed  in Karonga.

Commenting on the matter Karonga district commissioner (DC) Rosemary Moyo said the finance committee has the legal mandate to call for the documents and the secretariat cannot refuse them.

The Deputy Director of Local Government Hastings Bota  expresses disappointment with the allegations raised in the meeting which prompted him to give a lecturing on how the government officials should work with councillors at the district level.

“We are very much worried with the situation in Karonga but above all we have to thank people here because they have shown that they need development in their areas that is why we were called for dialogue on how to deal with the problems faced here,” said Bota.

The meeting was also attended by Members of Parliament such as Malani Mtonga, James Bond Kamwambi; chiefs who were headed by Paramount Kyungu; three representatives from the ministry of the local government namely Hastings Bota,  Dangalasi Mteka and Sala Chizinga as well as all the District Executive Committee members.