Well-founded fear: 48-hour ultimatum expires with clear signs Covid funds plundered

February 10, 2021 Wanga Gwede - Nyasa Times 43 Comments

At the expiry of 48- hour ultimatum Tuesday evening which President Lazarus Chakwera issued for  clusters to account for  K6.2 billion Covid-19 response funds allocated to then last August, it emerged that the public fear of  money being misappropriate is “well-founded.”

Chakwera warned that he will fire any controlling officer or cluster heads who fail to account for the K6.2 billion. He gave the respective ministries and clusters 48 hours to account for the funds to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo interacts with Chair for COVID-19 Dr John Mphuka and Minister of Education Agness Nyalonje: Asked some clusters to resubmit their reports as they did not make sense

On Tuesday, the Task Force received reports from ministries of Health, Local Government, Education and Information, Malawi Prisons and Malawi Defence Force.

But the Task Force led by co-chairperson Dr John Phuka and Minister of Health Kandodo Chiponda rejected several presentations  because they clearly could not make sense on their expenditure.

The Task Force  asked for fresh reports as it was evident that the funds, which Treasury released in August last year for the Covid-19 fight, were indeed plundered by some public officers.

Other members of the Task Force who rejected the reports at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) included Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa, Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu, Minister of Information Gospel Kazako., Minister of Education Agness Nyalonje.

Chiponda said the Task Force will submit a report to President Chakwera after reviewing all presentations while Kazako said they will update the nation “when everything is done.”

Kazako said the session was not a stunt but a serious process of accountability.

President  Chakwera had initially presented an expenditure breakdown that, among other things, indicated allocations for meetings and other items critics felt were not a priority.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has since demanded an immediate audit of how the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) in the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC).

DPP spokesperson on finance Joseph Mwanamvekha said the opposition party wants the National Audit Office to conduct the audit and that a report on the same should be submitted to Parliament through the Public Accounts Committee.

“Without being overly speculative, the conduct of Dodma could just be a microcosm of a much larger rot happening in government regarding the use of funds meant for the fight against Covid-19,” said Mwanamvekha in a statement.

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has since written the office of the Auditor General to institute an audit of the K6.2 billion funds.

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43 replies on “Well-founded fear: 48-hour ultimatum expires with clear signs Covid funds plundered”

  1. Frankly speaking, i fail to understand why Malawians including Chakwera are requesting further reports on how the 6.2 billion was used. Chakwera came on Malawi TVs and radios to illustrate how the 6.2 billion was used. I remember, in his report he told Malawians of a certain amount of funds which were used to transport Malawians from RSA. We have that report everywhere. Neither the president (Chakwera) nor any Malawian need another report. What we need now is to hold Chakwera accountable on what he told us if it was true or it was just a blue lie. He should explain why he lied to Malawians telling them how 6.2 billion was used without verifying the truth about it. And the consequence he can face is resign from his position because he is a liar. Those that gave him a fake report should follow suit. Case closed

  2. They probaly have started building mansions in high end areas with that stolen money. Malawi izatheka koma?

    1. A Chirima alikuti?Paja amayambira Ku chalichi kubwetuka ndi akazi ama president akale aja.A KALIATI M’MBALIMU OSAIWALA USI PAMBALIPA

  4. Eeeh.. koma dziko lathuli lili pa moto.
    Everyone mbava. Mbava kubela mbava. Malawi tizangotseka basi.

    Kumangoyankhula basi.. no action. Dzimbava dzokhadzokha.

    Koma aMalawi taziona eeeh. Welesike Mbava, Kamuzu Mbava. Muluzi Mbava. Bingu Mbava. Joyce Banda, Mbava. APM Mbava, Chakwera Mbava. Chilima Mbava… oh one more, Bushiri Mbava! Hmm.

  5. Upulezidenti ogula kukhothi la atumbuka wavuta!!! Uwu siulendo waku Kenani koma waku Kasiya via Nsundwe. Mbola za president. By the way, where are the 1 million jobs?

      1. Simufika ndi ma stress ayambawa wina mzanu sakugona.Tsamalani, cardiac arrest imakonda mofewa new anthu olephera ngati awa.

        1. Eeeeeeh…ufiti tu uwu.

          Every life is sacred, iwe there you are busy wishing and imagining people dead. Lets disagree on issues but not wish harm to one another. We all have people we care for and care for us. Eish

          Reevaluate your surroundings with this type of thinking. You are in a bad and dark place buddy.

    3. anayamba kutinamiza kuti foteleza azakhala k4,950, uyooo wasintha okuti ngwawanthu owerengeka okha poti tawavotera. ife onthu oKasiya takwiya nalo khalidwe lotere. pano ku state house mwantengana okubanja okhaokha upasana hito. vitsiru zedi, mwatikwiisa.

  6. Actually there was no need to dillydally, just arrest them and interrogate them to explain at the prison. They can have access to laptops.

    A whole HE asks you to submit a report on expenditure and you just sit phwii? Ufiti chani?

  8. Don’t worry treat the incompetents with kid gloves. Fire the errant cadets by all means but they should be arrested for embezzlement. K6.1b is misapropriation is no small matter.

  12. Dodma is part of the OPC, its a baby of the Office of the President and Cabinet. There is no way Dodma can abuse funds without the knowledge, oversight and permission of the OPC. If the HRDC, Alan Ntata abd other progressive voices had not raised alarm, would the OPC have investigated this plunder? Chilima alikuti? Mr Drain-The-Swamp. Heads must roll beginning with the Head of State!!! These are enough grounds for impeachment in stable and sober democratic state.

    1. Why did you fail to impich gogo petulo with all the financial scandles that marred his administration. In this scenario the officials responscible will accout for the embezled money

      1. The officials responsible are Chakwera and Chilima,they are leaders of the OPC. We do not want the small fish who are eating crumbs, we want the big fish who eating the whole bakery. Insomba imayamba kuola pamutu.

      2. That’s the problem with Malawi, right there.. partisan uku ndalama zikubedwa. We didn’t vote for Peter Munthalika, he is gone. We can’t tolerate kuba from new governments coz th last one was also stealing.

    2. Yes, if there is a rubble that must be removed, then that rubble is Chakwera himself. How can he allow his DODMA of OPC to plunder that much of money under his watch? OPC reports to Chakwera and chilima directly and these two thieves know where the K6.2bn money has gone. Arrest Chakwera please!!!! People are dying of curable covid and yet you are busy with mapwevupwevu on covid funds? Arrest chilima and Chakwera now now. Ife atumbuka takwiyaa!!!!!!

    3. ku OPC kamwana kaja a dpp anakazembetsa kaja kukaphunzila ku UK kaja kali ndi uve pa khobidi.dirty game.( nthawiyo was time when govt had stopped the drill of sending mwians abroad for further studies.

  14. This man is a talker. A shit talker at that. A preacher who preaches and preaches with no benefit to his congregation. A Chakwela ndi chinkwedza mawu basi. A loud mouth imposter. A dolphin showing off its fin to disguise as a shark. It is becoming clear, he is wearing shoes bigger than his feet.Vote tinabetsa, Ulendo wa ku canaan tatenga short cut kudzela kukasiya. Lord I pray, give us a new president 2025

    1. Chakwera has nothing to hide. He clearly demanded accountability from those who were given the money. If it is found that the money was misused then the reponsible people will be punished. During gog petulo reign such things were swept under the carpet.

        1. Iwe nchindere ndithu etiii, iwe nkhaniyi wamva atchulapo za APM pamenepa, inutu a MCP ndiye muvala ma daipa, chaka chake ndichino, simunati.

      2. He had something to hide if it was not for pressure from the concerned parties. During the agogo you keep on refering to, there was no unaccounted expenses from Dodma when Chilima was the minister of that ministry. It is happening under Chakwera’s and not that he doesn’t know all about this cashgate, he is part of it. You will see, no one will be fired.

  15. Who stole the money this time ? Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Burundians ?? Just like Cashgate this is CORONAGATE executed by MALAWIANS… Corruption is within Malawi and Malawi can never rise as a nation unless corruption is rooted out. Malawians are corrupt by nature and outsiders take advantage of that by plam greasing, Learn to live with that fact …No wonder the money was spent in buying a 2nd hand car, a piece of land and someones wedding and some side chicks banging weekend at Cape Mclear.

    1. I cannot even imagine what Malawi would look like today if there had not been corruption for the last 20 years. It cannot go on like this.

  16. I don’t know of plunder and I have been an auditor for 18 years. But with auditing process to order an audit within 48 hours is not feasible taking account of forensic audit processes.

  17. Take all concerned controlling officers into custody and the members of finance who oversaw disbursements. The Public Finance act needs to be adhered to

    Track the money and freeze accounts today. Shut down all relevant accounts until you figure out what has happened.

    Anyone who received money must have their counts frozen.

    Arrest and fire all rot.

    When our brothers and sisters are dying, others feel it is their opportunity to get rich? This cannot be tolerated and should be felt with brutally.

    The time for controlling officers who sleep on the job is over.

    1. Exactly. Iwe nde wanena action oriented comment and it has to be done right away.

      Za ma audit zitichedwetsa

      Sidebar – aMalawi we can’t keep on like this chonde. We can’t be trusted with anything

  18. I dont why Chakwera still trusts kandodo Chiponda. This woman is a known thief. She stole money for the independence celebration and she was forcing controlling officer to pay her hefty allowances of the covid funds.
    I for one dont trust Chakwera that he can do anything on Chiponda, Nkaka or Chimwendo Banda. These are the people who have literally captured the president. Chakwera is a toothless bull.

    1. We as a country can not do anything faithfully without stealing. Covid is here all the thiefs should learn from the deaths happening. You will leave al your stolen money and go empty.

  19. Mufufuzenso zokaptebga anthu ku South Africa ndipo kumene munachita book ma bus. Akupatseni writen Document. Ndi maina ndi ma passport particular amapassangers amene anatenga. Chikanakhala cha nzeru akufufuza anthuwo atayimitsidwa kaye ntchito for fear of intimidate by those who want to reveal the truth. They must go for unpaid leave to pave the way for the whistle blowers. Komanso meeting yanji mpaka 585 million. Mmmmh. Eeee tidikira osati mutiuze zabwerera. Otherwise you’ll just step down a Chakwera. With this issue you’re on the adge.

  20. Tiyeni nazo anjatidwe ngati safotokoza bwino.Mzomera akusowa ocheza nawo ku Mzimba prison apa basi zichitike mwachangu azikasewera bawo.

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