BLANTYRE-The state controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Director General Aubrey Sumbuleta is embroiled into abuse of powers by victimizing employees in different forms.
According to sources at the institution, Sumbuleta is directly involved in procurement issues such as sourcing quotations, selecting suppliers of his choice and benefit for instance security providers and many more.
The MBC DG is said to be also collecting cheques or taking cheque specimen and sending to suppliers forcing procurement staff to tamper with tender documents.
For instance, in abuse of power and employees rights one Nellie Mlenga of procurement has become a latest victim for advising him on how to do things accordingly in as far as procurement is concerned.
Mlenga has also been victimised for refusing to go to office at night when called by the DG.
Inside MBC sources told The Maravi Post that Mlenga was called to a meeting where Board chair Rev Billy Gama, DG Aubrey Sumbuleta, Director of Admin Gift Nyambalo and Director of News Geofrey Kazembe were present.
“The top officials present accused her of writing bad comments about the DG in a whatsup group. The DG Mr Sumbuleta failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that indeed her comments were directed to him because his name was not mentioned, neither his position nor the corporation.
“Though Nellie wondered about the quorum since she is not even a middle manager.In silence it was resolved that Nellie be told to stop attending departmental meetings, she was not added to a departmental whatsup group, no work was being assigned to her,” said the source.
The informant added that Mlenga’s effort to find out why her job description has been silently taken away did not work out, since everything was referred back to Director of Administration.
NELLIE’S Constructive dismissal process.
Her supervisor writing in his report that he failed to do ascertain job cause she had gone on holiday- when she did not.
The same Director of Administration who was not doing anything on her complaints about her clear job asked Nellie to write a report on whether she went on holiday or not within the same day.
In her report she denied and reminded their office about her usual complaints . Next day she received a letter of hearing where she was accused of going on holiday procedural – according to the condition of service
“The disciplinary committee found her not guilty & recommended the Administration to give her a clear Job description. ( we hear the committee was being forced to change their findings and find her guilty – 3 people said they couldn’t do that for an innocent person.until one member lost his acting position for not doing as per DG’s wish.
“Few weeks letter Nellie received a letter of transfer and change of department to Mzuzu. ( a qualified procurement officer, member of MIPS, trained by tax payers money through the ODPP to be transferred to a sales department in Mzuzu,” added the source.
She wrote them back asking for a verdict on her hearing cause it was reffered in her transfer letter. Surprisingly the committee did not recommend that.
A day later she received yet another letter with a cheque enclosed for her allowance to go to Mzuzu and find accommodation and report to the new office within 10 days.