Malawi’s First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (BEAM) trust has returned the MK5 million funds it received from National Aids Commission (NAC) amid criticisms from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and many Malawians.
The CSOs accused the trust of using state machinery to obtains the funds which helped in the launch but Madam Mutharika denied this on several occasion, saying her trust did not force NAC to release the funds.
Madam Mutharika’s resistance forced some CSOs such as Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre for Peoples Development (CEDEP) and Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) to call for demonstration scheduled for January 13, 2014.
In a statement made available to media it states that the trust has returned the money through its donor Bannet Chinsinga.
“Beautify Malawi Trust returns Five million Kwacha NAC money as demanded by some civil society organizations”, reads in part the statement. According to the statement, this has done to put the matter to rest.
Media reports also revealed that Mulhako wa Alhomwe which is reportedly a brainchild of the ruling DPP for the Lhomwe people, a tribe which Malawi President, Peter Mutharika belongs also benefited from NAC-gate.
Apart from Mulhako Wa Alhomwe , the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) currently headed by Nicholas Dausi, a DPP operative, also got a big chunk of money from NAC.
Meanwhile it is yet to be seen if the remaining organisations will follow suit.
