NAIROBI-(MaraviPost)-A thrilling exposure for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) zealot Benson Ojesi for unprofessional, office abuse at Malawi High Commission, Nairobi Kenya, is a matter of agency for President Lazarus Chakwera administration to act swiftly on him.
Ojesi before being deployed to Nairobi as Malawi High Commission’s Secretary, he was all over on social media exposing fraud of others not knowing Ojesi wanted to buy Chakwera’s eye for position in government.
The MCP zealot has been caught in an unethical conduct and corruption in Nairobi since deployed that the head of the mission Calista Chapola Mutharika cannot touch him.
According to classified and confidential information in our possession, states that the nature and frequency of Ojesi’s misconduct have not only tarnished the reputation of Malawi’s diplomatic mission in Kenya but have also created an environment where fraud, extortion, and conflict of interest seem to flourish unchecked.
This has prompted a concerned public officer at the embassy writing Foreign Affairs Ministry to act on him before he messes up further in Nairobi.
“Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing this letter anonymously but with utmost concern and civic duty, to report a series of serious unethical, corrupt, and unprofessional actions committed by Mr. Benson Ojesi, a serving officer at the Malawi High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya.
“The nature and frequency of Mr. Ojesi’s misconduct have not only tarnished the reputation of Malawi’s diplomatic mission in Kenya but have also created an environment where fraud, extortion, and conflict of interest seem to flourish unchecked,” reads the letter in part.
Ojesi misconduct behaviours at Nairobi office:
1. Soliciting Kickbacks from Contractors:
Ojesi has been actively involved in soliciting bribes from contractors bidding for tenders at the Malawi High Commission. In one notable incident, he demanded Ksh 35,000 (MWK 1,050,000) from a contractor seeking to undertake a driveway repair project within the embassy.
Following resistance from the contractor, he lowered the amount to Ksh 20,000 (MWK 600,000)— a bribe he made conditional upon the contract being awarded.
A screenshot attached to this letter shows another officer asking the contractor to confirm the specific “cut” that Ojesi demanded, thereby validating the claim. This is far from an isolated case; multiple contractors have raised similar complaints, indicating a pattern of extortion. Many report that non-compliance with these unethical demands leads to automatic disqualification from consideration.
This conduct is further enabled by Ojesi’s strategic placement within the account’s office, which provides him with direct oversight of procurement processes and financial approvals. His access to sensitive budgetary and tender information gives him undue influence over vendor selection and payment processing — a position he has exploited to solicit kickbacks with little oversight or accountability.
Such misuse of authority not only violates procurement laws but also severely undermines transparency and integrity within Malawi’s diplomatic service.
2. Kickbacks from Hospitality Service Providers
Mr. Ojesi is involved in unethical dealings with various hospitality service providers who cater to Malawian government delegations. He has been receiving kickbacks from inflated accommodation and service bills — with some Malawian officials unknowingly paying nearly double the standard rates. These questionable transactions point to deliberate manipulation for personal gain.
Despite his role as an First Secretary Administration, Mr. Ojesi often inserts himself into protocol duties such as accommodation and transport arrangements, solely to maintain direct access to service providers and control over lucrative dealings. Multiple instances have been reported where delegations were assigned overpriced accommodation or services — decisions which appeared to benefit Mr. Ojesi financially through behind-the-scenes commissions.
This behavior is not only unethical but reflects a blatant conflict of interest. Delegations have at times been forced to cut short their stays or question the integrity of their bookings due to inflated costs and lack of transparency. Attached mobile money transactions and message confirmations provide evidence of Mr. Ojesi receiving kickbacks and him confirming receipt of these arrangements.
Such conduct severely undermines professionalism, compromises the integrity of the Malawi High Commission, and reflects poorly on the standards of Malawi’s foreign service. It raises serious concerns about the exploitation of diplomatic responsibilities for private enrichment.
Attached below are proof of some of the kickbacks Mr. Ojesi received 1. Ksh 13,000 (MWK 390,000) 2. Ksh 7500 (MWK 225,000)
3. Inflated Vehicle Hire Prices
Ojesi has also been manipulating prices for hired transportation for Malawian VIPs. In one case, he instructed a service provider to inflate a Prado quote from $119 to $130 per day, which was for the Secretary General’s 5($650) use. During a similar visit by the Foreign Affairs PS, vehicle hire rates were again manipulated to enable Mr. Ojesi’s personal profiteering. These are just a few of the many dealing Ojesi is running at the commission.
4. Unauthorized Alcohol Sales at and Outside the Embassy
Perhaps the most alarming concern is Benson Ojesi’s unauthorized engagement in the sale of alcohol — both within the Embassy grounds and in his private capacity outside the mission.
Ojesi has effectively converted the Embassy’s cultural center into a personal bar, where he stocks alcohol purchased from outside vendors and sells it at inflated prices. These transactions are conducted within the High Commission’s premises, in blatant violation of diplomatic protocols and local licensing laws.
CCTV footage from the 16th of May 2025, if reviewed, would show Mr. Ojesi behind the counter alongside a woman believed to be his girlfriend — personally involved in the operations of this unlicensed alcohol business. This turns the diplomatic facility into a commercial outlet, thereby compromising the sanctity and neutrality expected of a foreign mission.
Even more disturbing is the credible information that Mr. Ojesi is running a parallel alcohol supply business outside the embassy, leveraging his diplomatic immunity and networks to operate a personal enterprise for profit. This raises not only ethical concerns but also serious legal implications regarding tax evasion, abuse of diplomatic privileges, and potential trafficking of unregulated alcohol.
Moreover, it has been observed on multiple occasions that Mr. Ojesi requests the M-Pesa PIN from the bartender employed by the mission — particularly when he is the one personally selling alcohol at the cultural center. This is believed to allow him access to funds collected via mobile payments, enabling him to either withdraw or transfer the money to himself.
These are proceeds from the sale of alcohol he has personally supplied and vends for sole profiteering, as stated above. Considering that many patrons, including travelers and guests, prefer to pay via M-Pesa, this raises grave accountability issues.
His manipulation of this payment channel for private financial gain, under the mission’s roof, further underscores the abuse of position and undermines the financial integrity of the cultural center.
Such behavior is not only illegal and unethical but gravely unbecoming of a diplomat. It has brought considerable embarrassment to the Malawi High Commission in Nairobi and threatens to damage Malawi’s diplomatic standing in Kenya.
This now begs an urgent and uncomfortable question: Is Mr. Benson Ojesi truly representing the Republic of Malawi — or merely advancing the interests of his own private alcohol business under the guise of diplomatic immunity?
5. Fraudulent Medical Claims and Abuse of Mission Funds
Another deeply troubling concern involves Mr. Benson Ojesi’s consistent abuse of the mission’s medical claims system, through which he has submitted and processed fraudulent claims on behalf of individuals who are either ineligible or not officially recognized as his dependents.
In one documented incident, Mr. Ojesi took a woman — believed to be his purported “wife” — to the hospital following a miscarriage. Although she received treatment, she was not a registered dependent of Mr. Ojesi at the mission, and no formal documentation, such as a marriage certificate, had ever been submitted to support her inclusion as a legitimate beneficiary.
To circumvent this, Mr. Ojesi allegedly used the name of a female officer working within the same department to file the medical claim, thereby concealing the true identity of the patient and securing unauthorized reimbursement from the mission.
This is not an isolated case. Mr. Ojesi is also known to have submitted repeated medical claims for a son who is over the age of 18 — and therefore no longer eligible for coverage under the mission’s medical scheme. Exploiting the fact that the son shares a name with him, Mr. Ojesi allegedly disguised the claims under his own name or misrepresented the relationship and eligibility status, effectively defrauding the system.
Worryingly, due to his role as the paying officer within the High Commission, Mr. Ojesi has significant influence over the disbursement of funds. Once such claims are approved — whether knowingly or unknowingly by the relevant authority — he is well-positioned to process the payments without scrutiny. This not only constitutes a serious conflict of interest but also a clear case of financial misconduct and abuse of office.
Such fraudulent practices amount to the misappropriation of public funds and reflect a deliberate effort to exploit the trust and systems of the Government of Malawi. If left unchecked, they risk causing lasting reputational and financial damage to the mission and the broader diplomatic service.
“Benson Ojesi’s continued presence at the High Commission in Nairobi poses a serious risk to Malawi’s international reputation. He has weaponized his diplomatic position for personal gain, violating procurement laws, diplomatic conduct standards, and local public trust.
“I urge your offices to investigate this matter, holding Mr. Ojesi accountable for actions that have, brought the Malawi mission in Kenya into disrepute, abuse of public funds and diplomatic privileges, exploited fellow Malawians, including senior government officials without their knowledge, contravened both local and international diplomatic expectations,” appeals the letter.
He concluded, “This letter is submitted in confidence and in the interest of protecting the integrity of Malawi’s foreign service in Kenya and the public resources entrusted to the other Malawi HC officer confirming of what Ojesi was asking as a cut/Kickback”.
President Chakwera and Foreign Affairs Ministry are yet to act on Ojesi just two months before Malawi goes to general election on September 16, 2025