Malawi President Chakwera fires Labour Minister Ken Kandodo over Covid-19 funds abuses

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera on Sunday, evening, April 19, 2021 fired Labour Minister Ken Kandodo for MK1.4 million’s Covid-19 funds abuses following audit report.

Kandodo has become the first cabinet minister in Chakwera’s Tonse administration sacked over public theft in 10 months in power.

Chakwera told the nation address that despite Kandodo returned the money he set a bad precedent in his adminstration of theft hence being dropped from the cabinet.

“I assure you that there is no place on earth where these criminals [implicated in the report] will hide. I promise that this audit is only the beginning. There will be audits on other funds spent on Covid-19 since the pandemic began.”Over a dozen individuals have been arrested over Covidgate. This includes an arrest at the Office of the President and Cabinet. There are no sacred cows and I warn all thieves in the civil service that you will go to prison and you will be forced to give back the money you stole.

” I have therefore dropped labour minister in my cabinet for using Covid-19 funds for inappropriate purpose than that was designed,” fumed Chakwera.

After the MK6.2 billion Covid-19 funds abuse report which Kandodo was named, the minister defended the decision of borrowing the funds for a trip he accompanied President Chakwera to South Africa in November 2020.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.