BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Social commentator Michael Usi, popularly known as ‘Manganya’ in entertainment circles, has told the country’s president to stop protecting his praise singers who are reported to have a hand in siphoning of public funds.
Usi sent the message on Sunday at Comesa Hall in Blantyre using a parable of a poultry farmer who spared his ducks to keeping dirtying the public stream.
The comedian, in an apparent reference to what was initially K577 billion cashgate scandal—now reduced to K236 billion— which has implicated senior cabinet ministers, warned that corruption is likely to persist in the country unless all politically connected culprits who steal public funds are treated accordingly.
“A village tasked a woman to go and draw water for a whole village. Every time she went to the well, they were angey because she brought them dirty water. Later, a stranger took her upstream where they found ducks soiling the river. To the surprise of the onlooker, she only killed three ducklings, leaving the big ones to continue dirtying the river.
“Actually, the stranger later discovered she had left the ducks because they were hers. As a country, we are suffering because the sacred ducks are still polluting our river. Abakha otsalawo ali ndi ambuya awo”,said Usi as quoted in The Nation.
Usi went on to advise leaders to listen to even opposing views, saying politics of intimidation is retrogressive because it only scares away the wise and leaves leaders surrounded by backstabbers with nothing to offer.
Meanwhile, State House has issued a statement saying President Peter Mutharika will not fire any minister despite demands to axe seven reportedly implicated in the ‘grand corruption’ financial analysis report.
Presidential spokesman Mgeme Kalilani said Mutharika is not aware of any ministers involved in the mismanagement of the public funds.
“We have to put the matter in proper prespective here. The President is not aware of any minister named in the Cashgate forensic audit,” kalilani said during Daybreak Malawi program aired on Capital Radio Monday morning.
“As far as the President is concerned he is not aware of any name of minister implicated,” stressed Kalilani.
In parliament last week, Mzimba West MP Harry Mkandawire (PP) mentioned leader of the house George Chaponda as one of the rotten ministers.