LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Pressure is mounting on President Lazarus Chakwera to fire Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) Collen Zamba for being involved MK1 trillion fertilizer scandal and fuel deals with Dubai royal, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Qassimi.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and National Alliance Against Corruption (NAAC) want President Chakwera to swiftly act on the matter.
Both NAP and NAAC chairpersons Benedicto Kondowe and Moses Mkandawire respectively observe that the actions of SPC Zamba, in facilitating this scandalous deal without the due diligence and accountability required in public procurement, must be condemned in the strongest terms.
Reads NAP and NAAC statement in full:
The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the National Alliance Against Corruption (NAAC) express grave concern and outrage over the unfolding MK1 trillion fertilizer scandal involving Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC), Colleen Zamba, and an alleged fraudulent deal orchestrated with a purported Dubai royal, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Qassimi.
Reports suggest that this deal, designed to misappropriate up to 40% of the national budget, has already led to MK500 billion being earmarked for advance payments, despite the absence of any credible evidence that the company involved has the capacity or expertise to deliver on fertilizer supply. This is a national crisis.
The revelations surrounding this fraudulent deal are a mockery of the Malawian people and highlight a disturbing pattern of unchecked abuse of public funds under the administration of President Lazarus Chakwera.
The actions of SPC Zamba, in facilitating this scandalous deal without the due diligence and accountability required in public procurement, must be condemned in the strongest terms.
Furthermore, the apparent negligence of the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and the Ministry of Agriculture in failing to uphold basic protocols represents a complete disregard for Malawi’s financial and food security.
This fertilizer deal mirrors the NOCMA and Ministry of Transport and Public Works fuel procurement scandal, where unqualified suppliers were handpicked in clear violation of established procedures, further eroding public trust in Malawi’s institutions.
The continued involvement of SPC Zamba in such questionable activities – including the recent K1.5 trillion scandal within the OPC – represents a profound breach of public trust.
This rampant mismanagement of public resources threatens to push Malawi into economic collapse, with the
poorest citizens suffering the most.
President Chakwera’s inaction, despite mounting evidence of corruption at the highest levels of his administration, raises serious questions about his commitment to the anti-corruption agenda he campaigned on. His failure to hold accountable those responsible for these egregious acts suggests a worrying complicity in the corruption that is fast taking root within the government.
The NAP and NAAC categorically condemn the following:
- The involvement of SPC Colleen Zamba in facilitating fraudulent deals that siphon billions
from public coffers while ordinary Malawians endure hunger and economic hardship. - The unethical interference of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works in NOCMA’s
fuel procurement process. This reflects a broader crisis of institutional integrity, where
unrelated ministries pursue procurement opportunities outside their mandates in blatant
disregard for proper governance.
In light of these grave concerns, the NAP and NAAC make the following urgent recommendations:
- Independent Investigations: Immediate, independent investigations into the role of SPC Zamba in both the fertilizer and NOCMA fuel procurement scandals. All individuals found complicit must face the full force of the law.
- Contract Suspensions: An immediate suspension of all contracts with Sheikh Ahmed AlQassimi and any associated parties until their legitimacy is fully verified. Other suspicious suppliers must be scrutinized with the same level of diligence.
- Transparency in Public Procurement: All documentation and communication related to the fertilizer procurement, fuel and other major contracts must be made public to foster transparency and restore public confidence.
- Institutional Integrity: Stronger mechanisms must be established to ensure ministries adhere strictly to their mandates in procurement matters. The Ministry of Transport’s encroachment on NOCMA’s operations is a serious breach that must be corrected to ensure coherent governance.
- Stricter Oversight of Procurement Laws: Immediate enforcement of stricter procurement laws, especially those prohibiting advance payments for goods or services not yet delivered, as was seen in both the fertilizer and fuel scandals.
- Parliamentary Oversight: The Public Appointments, Budget and Finance, Legal Affairs, Agriculture, and Energy and Natural Resources Committees of the National Assembly should conduct a joint inquiry into the alleged dubious deals, invoking Standing Order 151(a) and (b) (as amended on 8th September 2020), and sections 9 and 11 of the National
Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.
Malawi’s financial security and the integrity of its public institutions, including the AntiCorruption Bureau (ACB), are at a critical juncture. The ACB’s lack of proactiveness in addressing alleged high-level corruption is alarming. Malawians cannot tolerate a government that allows grand theft while the country faces economic collapse. President Chakwera must act decisively to protect public resources, or risk being complicit in the very corruption he vowed to eliminate.
The NAP and NAAC will continue to monitor developments closely and hold those in power accountable for their actions. We call on all Malawians to unite in demanding transparency, accountability, and justice. The looting of public coffers must end, and the people of Malawi must no longer bear the consequences of a few individuals’ reckless greed. Effective immediately, NAP and NAAC will engage and mobilize Malawians across various platforms to fulfill their civic duty
and demand an end to this corruption and inaction by the leadership.
Signed on this 8th day of October 2024 by: Benedicto Kondowe (NAP Chairperson) and Moses W. Mkandawire NAAC Chairperson.
Despite numerous corruption allegations both Chakwera and Zamba have not issued any statement or comment on the matter.