Energy minister Kambala Bemoans lack of transparency at NOCMA

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—As Malawians are still debating shady deals happening at National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA), Minister of Energy Newton Kambala has blamed National institution for not being transparent in the fuel imports deals.

Kambala who said this in Parliament on Monday when presenting his ministerial response on the Natural resources committee fuel report, said the country is in this fuel import mess due to lack of transparency.

Kambala also faulted NOCMA for not responding to Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority – MERA that was recommending two new fuel import suppliers.

Kambala who further disagreed with the Natural resources committee on the recommendation that the President should fire the MERA Board said the Committee had no mandate as that mandate is with Public Appointments Committee – PAC upon conducting an inquiry into the competence of the Board.

But reacting, Werani Chilenga Chairperson of the Natural Resources Committee of Parliament said the minister was not supposed to comment on the issue, as it is being investigated by ACB.

He further said the minister is compromised as he has already taken a side on the matter.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).