BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s ruling party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), once hailed as the beacon of hope for a transformed nation, is now teetering on the edge of collapse — not due to external enemies but because of the internal rot orchestrated by one of its most trusted yet dangerous insiders: Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba.
While President Lazarus Chakwera remains blind to the true extent of the damage, Zamba has expertly maneuvered herself into a position of unchecked power, systematically dismantling the very foundations on which the MCP government promised to build a prosperous Malawi.
The Government-to-Government (G2G) fuel procurement deal, an initiative personally championed by President Chakwera, promised to revolutionize Malawi’s fuel supply system.
By cutting out middlemen, securing better prices, and ensuring transparency, this arrangement was supposed to save the nation millions and protect the fragile Malawi Kwacha from further currency shocks.
Instead, it has devolved into a breeding ground for corruption and mismanagement, with Zamba at the center of the storm.
Sources reveal that Zamba pressured the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) to award fuel contracts to specific companies without adhering to due procurement processes.
Former acting CEO of NOCMA, Hellen Buluma, bravely exposed how Zamba forced the involvement of shadowy figures—most notably someone known only as “Chief” from Nigeria—alongside local fixers.
These illicit dealings did not just undermine the G2G’s noble objectives; they threatened to plunge Malawi into another fuel crisis by failing to secure direct imports from Gulf nations, a critical step given the impending expiration of the current ten-month fuel deal with Kenya in December 2025.
This scandal over fuel procurement is just the tip of the iceberg. Zamba’s influence has permeated the civil service, where her interference in recruitment processes has sparked outrage and drawn the ire of the country’s Ombudsman, Grace Malera.
Investigations were launched to scrutinize the manner in which certain appointments were made, as numerous reports surfaced of unprocedural recruitments favoring Zamba’s allies and cronies.
The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) did not mince words in condemning Zamba’s role in these irregularities, labeling her incompetent and unfit to oversee the civil service.
Yet, in an astonishing display of brazen disregard for accountability, Zamba refused to appear before Parliamentary Committees to answer questions regarding her involvement. Instead, she allegedly deployed her trusted operatives to manipulate the system.
Anthony Bendulo, a key whistleblower who came to prominence during the MCP’s 2019 presidential case, alleges that Zamba used her protégés to obtain a court injunction to block Ombudsman Malera’s investigations, effectively preventing justice and allowing those recruited through dubious means to continue enjoying taxpayer-funded salaries.
Zamba’s modus operandi extends beyond procurement and recruitment.
Reports indicate she revels in internal party sabotage, employing a cadre of spies and informants to record conversations and undermine those who might expose or oppose her. Anderson Makyelo, known on Facebook as “Orama Namalomba,” is one such operative.
He famously recorded former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director Martha Chizuma and Anthony Bendulo, leveraging these recordings to manipulate power dynamics within MCP. In return, Makyelo was rewarded with a promotion to Director of Finance.
This toxic culture of surveillance, backstabbing, and patronage has poisoned the MCP’s internal cohesion and eroded public trust.
What is most alarming is President Chakwera’s apparent ignorance or willful blindness to the rot festering beneath his administration.
Despite the overwhelming evidence and public outcry, he continues to place unwavering trust in Zamba, enabling her to operate with impunity.
This misplaced trust threatens to undo all the gains the MCP government has claimed to achieve since ascending to power.
The consequences for Malawi are dire. A government crippled by internal corruption and mismanagement, spearheaded by individuals like Zamba, cannot deliver the transformative leadership the country desperately needs.
The fuel shortages, civil service inefficiencies, and erosion of public institutions are symptoms of a deeper malaise, one that stems from unchecked abuse of power at the highest levels.
Malawians must take a hard look at the leadership they are being offered as the September 16 elections approach.
The MCP’s track record under Chakwera and Zamba reveals a government riddled with nepotism, corruption, and a blatant disregard for transparency and good governance.
To give this administration another mandate would be to consign Malawi to continued stagnation and decay.
It is time for Malawians to demand accountability—not just from Colleen Zamba but from the entire MCP leadership that has allowed such rot to flourish.
The nation deserves leaders who prioritize the welfare of the people over personal enrichment and political survival.
The upcoming elections present an opportunity to reject the MCP’s failed experiment and to usher in a new era of honest, competent governance.
The revelations surrounding Colleen Zamba’s actions are not merely allegations; they are a clarion call for change.
Malawi cannot afford to be held hostage by a government that is self-destructing from within.
The fate of the nation hangs in the balance, and the choice is clear: boot out the MCP and reclaim the promise of a better Malawi.
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