BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Concerned by life-threatening waste disposal by Portland Cement factory in Balaka, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is pressing for an urgent attention from the relevant authorities including the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.
At a fact validation mission in Balaka where CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa accompanied by Senior Chief Nsamala and concerned citizens, described the situation as appalling and a clear violation of right to clean and health environment.
According to Namiwa, the situation is compounded by the absence of an environmental social impact assessment(ESIA) since the Chinese firm is riding on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that belonging to Larfarge conduct in 2010 but this current project commenced in 2023.
He therefore, challenged that CDEDI will engage authorities to do an analysis of the both the discharge and the accompanying solid waste from the factory.
“What we have observed is something terrible and though we are not environmental experts, from the look of things there are clear signs of environmental pollution. It is sad both solid and liquid waste are freely flowing from the factory into maize fields going down the stream to Nkundi River before reaching Liwawadzi river,” he said.
Proceeding on duty to protect the masses through tangible and desirable actions, CDEDI Executive Director discloses that they have collected the samples in form of water and Pulp waiting to be tested by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS).
“It is sad that factory officials refused to accompany us but still we expect that Portland Cement factory is a compliant company not only to Malawi’s environmental guidelines but also international standards and is disappointing to learn that are failing to manage their own waste ,” he said.
Senior Chief Nsamala where the factory operates under his jurisdiction, also expresses worry over the situation saying there is need for an urgent attention before the situation goes out of hand.
Alinafe Ndanga, a concerned citizen whose maize field is among the affected did not mince words calling for an urgent address on the matter as it is directly affecting the lives of people in the surrounding area.
Recently CDEDI wrote Ministry of labour to suspend operations at Portland Cement company, Balaka factory pending environmental impact assessment report but recently the company launched its operations despite the request from the credible watchdog.
Meanwhile there is no response from the company on why they refused to accompany CDEDI team, District Council officials and concerned citizens yet the companies are mandated to be accountable to the surrounding communities.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has pleaded with the Minister of Homeland Security to suspend relocation of refugees and asylum seekers to Dzaleka refuge camp saying there are numerous issues surrounding the exercise that remain unresolved.
In a statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa says the calls are coming considering that the directive is lacking merit hence the responsible Ministry ought to approach the matter with sobriety and ensure that measures it employs in the exercise do not boomerang on it.
Government set tomorrow, April 15, 2023 as the deadline for all the refugees and asylum seekers staying elsewhere in the country to relocate to Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa.
According to CDEDI, besides, the directive smacks of selective justice as it seems applicable only to refugees and asylum seekers from Rwanda and Burundi while it is business as usual for other illegal migrants.
Namiwa says while government is acting within the realm of the laws and regulations governing refugees and asylum seekers, more has to be considered.
He has cited the issue of congestion at the camp as an example of the numerous pressing issues saying, for instance, was designated to host 10,000 refugees but now is already hosting over 50,000 of them.
“Simply put, Dzaleka Refugee Camp is heavily congested and forcing more refugees will be a recipe for disaster and, to some extent, a violation of some rights of the refugees and asylum seekers,” he said.
Namiwa has also put to light glaring policy inconsistency given that the same government agitating for recampment, entered into an agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and introduced what is called ‘self-reliant tokens’ to those that have proven to lead an independent life outside the camp.
This was an attempt to save the refugees and asylum seekers from starvation after it became apparent that both the Malawi Government and UNHCR could not provide adequate food at the camp. Till this hour, government is still issuing the self-reliant tokens.
And that in the year 2000 government opened up to refugees and asylum seekers that came in with skills and expertise beneficial to the society in areas of health, education and social work to go and live where they could put their skills and expertise to the benefit of the country.
“Most of those that took heed of the call have been peacefully living among Malawians for over 20 years and in the passage of time some have intermarried with Malawians. This scenario begs moral questions such as what would become of such marriages? How about the services rendered, let alone the movable and immovable assets accumulated throughout the decades of their stay in the communities,” wonders Namiwa.
He has since suggested that Malawi ought to learn from other countries in the region, particularly its neighbours, how they are benefiting from integrating refugees and asylum seekers.
“Surely, it beats human understanding that as a country we should be pushing back to a congested camp—where living conditions are dire—people who, besides being self-reliant are significantly contributing to wealth and job-creation in the country,” he says.
Adding that through the self-reliant tokens refugees and asylum seekers outside the camp have established businesses that are positively contributing to the social and economic status of the country.
“Needless to remind all and sundry that such businesses owned by refugees and asylum seekers have provided means of livelihood to many locals in form of employment,” he highlights.
The CDEDI Executive Director has since reiterated its call for the Legal Affairs as well as the Defense and Security committees of Parliament to look into concerns raised in its June 1, 2021 petition, which proposed the review of the archaic 1989 Refugees Act.
Namiwa feels the review will help to ensure that some of the refugees and asylum seekers are integrated into society as, despite their status, they have proven to be critical to the social and economic development of our nation.
Authorities have been reminded that there is an ordeal behind every refugee and just like any human being, they have basic rights and freedoms that ought to be respected.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), is has urged President Lazarus Chakwera to exonerate himself from serious allegations levelled against the Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC), Colleen Zamba, by relieving her from her duties.
The former Acting Chief Executive Officer for the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) Hellen Buluma has accused Zamba of abuse of office by alleging that by virtue of being the Chairperson for the NOCMA Board of Directors, she influenced oil deals amid fuel crisis in the country.
This has been revealed when Buluma was summoned to appear before the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of parliament, on Wednesday November 23, 2022.
“Having heard a one sided story, Malawians waited with baited breath to hear from Zamba, who was set to appear before the same committee but in a clear case of impunity and arrogance, she never showed up.
“The absence of the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Members of Parliament (MPs) during the hearing, and the gravity of the allegations levelled against the SPC gives the impression that we are dealing with a clear case of organized crime where Dr. Chakwera himself should explain to Malawians not by words but through deeds and actions, by firing the SPC with immediate effect,” reads a statement by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
Namiwa said if it were in a serious country, Zamba would have resigned before Buluma walked out of the PAC meeting.
“Similarly, if it were that President Chakwera was not involved in all these heinous acts, he would have fired Zamba by now,” says Namiwa who has assured Malawians that his organisation will keep on monitoring the events as they unfold, and will address Malawians at an appropriate time.
Buluma has told the committee that on September 26, Zamba sent her profiles of fuel suppliers Iconic Venture and Horizon.
She further claims that a few days later Zamba called her and introduced a man called Chief.
Buluma claims she doesn’t now his name but Zamba just called him chief.
She claims Chief later called and made inquires on the issues of fuel supply.
Buluma says Zamba told her to consider ‘Chief’, a Nigerian who presented letters of a company from South Africa.
Buluma says when the Badea fuel facility came through on November 10, Zamba sent her a message to the effect that “Kodi za Chief zili pati? Mpakana mumaliza ndalama zonsetu”.
She further claims that ‘Chief’ later called her and started shouting at her as to why she was delaying signing the deal.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Center for Multiparty Democracy (CDEDI) has given Malawi government seven days ultimatum to bring back the Chinese national who appeared to abuse Malawian children in the video.
CDEDI Director Sylvester Namiwa told the news conference on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 in the capital Lilongwe that it is very sad that some government officials has helped the Chinese national to escape from this country.
Namiwa wants government to act on Chinese racism video
Namiwa said government should flash-out Chinese nationals who are illegally living in the country within 48hours.
“The 48 hours is inline with the Malawi investments forum where they should check who is do what in this country especially the Chinese,” said Namiwa
He said failure for the government to act on the matter within the given time ,the grouping will mobilise the country citizens to the streets.
Namiwa has also called for the Chinese embassy to publicly apologize to the nation and bring back the Chinese national in question.
He said government departments should act on the matter with immediate effect in the betterment of Malawians.
Namiwa therefore asked government not to take the matter lightly as the video clear indicates the country’s security lapses.
He said government drowns attention to issues that are of much irrelevance for instance government come up fast to stop the coming in of South African artist and they should show the same speed to this story.
The Chinese National was exposed in a 2020 BBC documentary which has currently gone viral showcasing abuse of the Malawian kids in both verbal and actions.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has come flat on its watchdog role by demanding audits of questionable water projects as well as disclosure of contractual agreements.
This comes as the organisation believes situations Malawi is experiencing due natural disasters, lately Cyclone Ana, provide an opportunity for the country to raise the standards of public infrastructure, and fight the nauseating deep-rooted corruption entrenched in the construction industry.
In a statement made available to this publication, CDEDI is, challenging Malawians to be keeping a keen eye on public infrastructure projects being implemented in their areas as one way of guaranteeing value for the money spent on the projects, such as roads, railways and bridges.
“CDEDI has noted with great concern that the heavy rains the country is experiencing have exposed poor workmanship, negligence and outright disregard of contractual details in the implementation of some projects,” reads the statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
Adding that it does not need emphasis that a good road network is a catalyst for development.
He said Malawi has needlessly lost lives due to road accidents because of poor conditions of the roads and washed-away bridges saying although the impact of the cyclones and tropical storms has been devastating, Malawians are their own witnesses that, to a large extent, the losses of lives, and government finances are due to poor workmanship.
“It is against this background that CDEDI is challenging the Roads Authority (RA) to audit projects under its jurisdiction against details of signed contracts for the same, and give feedback on the same,” he said.
For interest of transparency and accountability, CDEDI has also demanded the disclosure of contractual agreements for Jenda-Edingeni, Karonga -Songwe, Mzimba-Mzarangwe, Kapiri-Mkanda, Ntchisi -Malomo, Kenyatta Drive & Sharrar Street not to mention of Ntcheu-Tsangano, Nsanje -Marka and Nsanama -Nayuchi roads.
CDEDI has since given the NRA seven (7) days to provide the requested information.
The NGO further wishes to implore that going forward, Malawi must deploy due diligence in tender processes for all projects.
“One such project is the 72-kilometre Nsanje-Marka railway line whose tender process is underway. CDEDI calls upon the Ministry of Transport and Public Works to provide adequate soul searching and due diligence to ensure that the company it hires for the project is of impeccable expertise and good repute,” Namiwa calls.
Above all, CDEDI also calls for audits by relevant authorities on projects in the water and sanitation sector, which is another sector that needs constant check to ensure that Malawians have access to potable water.
“Projects for which we demand audits include the Karonga Water Supply and Nkhata Bay Water Supply Project. CDEDI hereby requests the Northern Region Water Board to institute audits in regard to these projects as soon as possible.
Both RA and NRWB are yet to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile Malawians of goodwill are planning to demonstrate against corruption and impunity on the protests slated for March 2, 2022.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has requested an explanation from the country’s Vice President Saulos Chilima over unfulfilled campaign promises which includes the welfare of public university students as well as public sector reforms.
CDEDI in a letter to SKC highlighted one unique promise that touched millions of the youth which was to do with the pledge that no single university student would drop out of college due to lack of fees.
“Sadly, almost two years down the line, over a thousand needy students are at the verge of withdrawing from the public universities due to lack fees hundreds have already withdrawn from college, while scores of others have had their examination results withheld, and in worst case scenarios, some have been denied to sit for their final examinations due to outstanding balances,” reads the letter signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
Since what is happening is contrary to what Chilima promised, CDEDI feels is only a mockery to start thinking of agenda 2063 when today only the elite and the rich have access to tertiary education.
“We at CDEDI would like to believe that whatever you promised prior to the court sanctioned June 23, 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections (FPE), was in a way a social contract with Malawians, therefore, it is only fair and proper to report back whether you have changed tune or not,” reads the letter.
The organisation says Malawians are equally shocked with the sudden silence on the fight against corruption, whereby previously Chilima took the lead as a whistleblower in exposing all the malpractices during the immediate past Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime.
“Malawians have been waiting with baited breath, to hear and see you zeroing in on the serious allegations made by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) former Member of Parliament (MP) for Kasungu, Alex Major, to the effect that top government and State House officials, including some cabinet ministers, have become instant billionaires. You may wish to know that you raised a lot of hopes in Malawians, as someone who was poised to eradicate corruption in the country,” reads the letter.
Adding that Chilima’s sudden silence however, has vindicated his critics, some of whom are claiming that he has joined the bandwagon of celebrating the plunder of public resources which the country is witnessing under the Tonse Alliance government, in which he is the second in command.
CDEDI has also challenged Chilima to make public the contents of the pact between him and Dr. Chakwera which was signed publicly at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in April 2020.
Further to that, based on circumstances, CDEDI says it is very evident that Malawians feel betrayed that President Chakwera commissioned a high-powered team, with Chilima, as it’s team leader, to undertake a public sector review, whose results up to now only the two know about despite the fact that tax payers’ money was involved in the course of the review and that such a decision was made publicly.
“It is taking Malawians for granted to keep such findings under wraps. If you are the very same energetic and vibrant leader Malawians voted for as their Vice President in the previous two elections, sir, then CDEDI is very optimistic that Malawians will hear from you on the issues we have raised, in the shortest practical period,”
Apart from Vice Presidency, Chilima also doubles as the minister responsible for Economic Planning and Development and his decision to join mainstream politics brought high hopes among the youth and other sectors of the society, who had given up on the political leadership in Malawi.
Based on his yet to be achieved promises, many young people look up to him as the much anticipated agent of change as well as a role model.
Fix the economy before introducing mandatory covid-19 vaccination
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has today in a press statement urged the Tonse Alliance administration under President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to fix the economy first before experimenting with laws that touch on the chore of human rights.
Sylvester Namiwa executive director of CDEDI wrote “It is important to highlight right at the onset that it is human nature to fight bad laws, therefore, Government should tread carefully in its bid to roll out the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination campaign at a time when Malawians are in need of an economic recovery plan, which is complete with measures to cushion marginalised and vulnerable people in our society”.
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination which is expectedly going to face resistance from citizens, majority of whom are riddled with effects of economic challenges.
“If the story carried in Nation on Sunday newspaper of 5th December 2021 is anything to go by, I fear for the worse that Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda has nodded to government’s wish to take the Covid-19 mandatory vaccination path”.
September 9, 2021 CDEDI wrote the AG seeking government’s position on mandatory Covid-19 vaccination campaign which, unfortunately, is being silently implemented by some private institutions, including both local and international organisations, and some government institutions.
However, despite formally writing back to CDEDI on September 10, 2021 acknowledging receipt of the letter, to date, CDEDI has not received any response from the AG regarding Malawi Government’s position on Covid-19 mandatory vaccination.
In his acknowledgement, Nyirenda assured that the letter was receiving the necessary attention, and that he would write again to give a concrete response on the matter after making what he termed as “necessary consultations” with relevant authorities directly involved in the matter.
As a reminder, CDEDI wrote the AG seeking Malawi Government’s position on the silent policy of ‘NO VACCINE NO WORK’ being implemented by some public and private institutions in the country.
Earlier, CDEDI wrote the minister of Health on the same, but never got a response.
“I strongly believe that citizens have a right to choose whether or not to be vaccinated. So while some citizens can freely choose life and go for the vaccine others can also choose life by deciding not to take the jab. It should not be a compulsory affair. Therefore, government needs to tread carefully on this matter to avoid trampling on the right to privacy, religion and conscious of the citizens”.
CDEDI has further urged government to take a human rights approach when thinking about mandatory Covid-19 vaccination.
“Such emotive measures should be taken alongside tangible measures to recover the economy and cushion the poor to avoid a situation where those who will have been saved from the pandemic die needlessly due to unprecedented essential drug stock outs in our public health facilities, coupled with starvation and hunger due to the tough economic situation on the ground.
“We urge the government not to divert people’s attention from their cries for better living conditions brought by its poor economic policies by delving into emotive human rights issues such as mandatory vaccination,” he said.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 appealed to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament to summon stakeholders in the tea and macadamia industries in Thyolo, Mulanje and Nkhata Bay to critically investigate their contribution to Malawi’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP.
The grouping observes that tea, macadamia proceeds are not benefiting communities around the estates but rather foreigners.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa wondered why Malawi being second tea producer in Africa its people still struggling.
Namiwa therefore dares PAC to critically assess tea industry an many communities are living in abject poverty amid plenty.
Below is CDEDI letter to PAC:
DEMAND FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACOUNTABILITY FROM TEA,MACADAMIA AND OTHER INDUSTRIES
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) wishes to appeal to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament to summon stakeholders in the tea and macadamia industries in Thyolo, Mulanje and Nkhata Bay to critically investigate their contribution to the country’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP).
CDEDI strongly believes this exercise will clear fears that the Government of Malawi is in some undesirable agreements with owners of these estates. Such agreements include non-payment of tax and non-disclosure of proceeds, and the million-dollar question is: Who is benefiting from such agreements?
The probe will also clear rumours that tea proceeds do not see their way back to Malawi after being sent to the estates’ beneficial owners in Britain.
PAC’s timely intervention will address the question as to whether there is justification for providing land much-needed by Malawians to the tea and macadamia industries in Thyolo, Mulanje and Nkhata Bay, which are not contributing to the country’s GDP— save for ‘enslaving’ our people in the pretext of providing them employment.
In fact, today, more and more people are losing jobs at the plantations as the estates are resorting to replacing manual labour with advanced technologies. Actually, some estates have completely abandoned tea production and are now in poultry production while others are diversifying into other non-traditional industries, in desperate attempts to cling onto the land.
There is also excessive use of chemicals that is posing a threat to the safety of the locals and, indeed, the ecosystem.
For those that are still in the tea production, some have thrown all caution to the wind and no longer care about the welfare of their surrounding communities. They are not carrying out any corporate social responsibilities. They are even failing to maintain the roads in their own estates and in some cases water pipes to the estates merely pass through villages where people drink water from unprotected sources.
It is against this background that CDEDI is asking PAC to intervene and ensure that all estates in the country are contributing to the larger good or else surrender the land.
The secrecy in the tea industry is disturbing, especially when one considers that during every tobacco growing season Malawians get to know how much tobacco they produced, and how much the country earned from its sales. Such transparency and accountability is lacking in the tea, coffee, tung and macadamia produced in Thyolo, Mulanje, Nkhata Bay and other districts.
Needless to say that citizens in the said districts feel isolated, and being treated as less human beings since they do not have land which is one of the most fundamental natural resources available to man for social and economic development in the agro-based Malawi economy. These landless people, therefore, have been disenfranchised from their right to economic activities and, most importantly, for decades, they have been denied right to food, which is one of the basic human rights.
Actually, the much-touted Malawi 2063 development agenda will be difficult to attain if the wrongs happening in the tea, coffee, tung and macadamia industries remain uncorrected. Now is time for PAC to do the needful.
Signed by: SYLVESTER NAMIWA, CDEDI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil right group, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) wants the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to refresh probing Malawi State House’s MK12.5 million Crossroads Hotel saga.
The grouping says it will soon write the Director General of Martha Chizuma to propose a fresh probe into the matter.
The proposal comes barely a month after ACB released results of the saga where the State House was cleared of any wrongdoing on allegations that it dubiously settled bills that were incurred by some private guests that came to Malawi at the invitation of the State House.
CDEDI challenged the investigation’s outcome, and said it is ready to provide the ACB with a latest quotation from Crossroads Hotel.
Eventually CDEDI called a meeting with ACB boss Chizuma and other bureau officials.
In a press statement signed by the grouping Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa disclosed that during the meeting, the bureau told the rights group that it can only do a fresh probe into the matter if there is fresh evidence will be provided.
“Madam Chizuma has challenged CDEDI that the ACB is ready and willing to institute a fresh probe into the Crossroads Hotel saga, so long as such a complaint is backed with tangible evidence, pointing to the fact that the other funds apart from the MK12.5 million paid by the State House, came from public coffers.
“CDEDI will formally write the ACB to request for a fresh probe into the State House Crossroads Hotel saga,” said Namiwa in the statement.
Namiwa in the statement further claimed that the ACB Director, Chizuma has conceded that there were indeed some discrepancies in the statement but said the investigations on the Crossroads Hotel saga were done prior to her joining the Bureau on 1st June 2021.
The Executive Director further questioned ACB for giving to the public false information that the rest of the bill was paid by Miguel Elias as stated in the previous ACB statement when the new information indicates that the bills were settled by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
“During the meeting, CDEDI was interested to find out the MCP’s involvement in State House matters, but the ACB Director has failed to provide the answers,” adds the statement.
CDEDI says that Chizuma also revealed that she gets calls from President Lazarus Chakwera encouraging her to work independently. However, she said Democratic Progressive Party accuses her of being pro government while Tonse Alliance members blame her for being nice to the opposition.
Meanwhile, the ACB Director has confirmed receipt of a letter from the Attorney General, (AG), to probe the Ministry of Health Officials that were implicated in the Ambulances procurement saga, and that the Bureau is currently doing something about this issue.
The bureau is reportedly under pressure from both opposition and Tonse government official on personal interests.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil right group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has penned Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda of suspected testing waters from the general public on his views that Indian businessman Abdul Karim Batatawala’s claims demand of MK250 billion.
CDEDI wants clarification from AG Nyirenda on the matter arguing that other quarter of the society are the view that AG’s remarks aimed at seeking public sympathy that Batatawala gets the toxic legal funds.
Sources within President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse administration told The Maravi Post that Batatawala is a secrete scheme with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to deal with any other Indian businessmen who were contracted to supply goods and services with the former governing President Peter Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
MCP leadership wants be benefit from the payout once is made hence the Nyirenda seeking sympathy from the public.
In a letter dated November 11, 2021 signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa addressing to Finance to AG Nyirenda copied to Minister Felix Mlusu and Malawi Parliament’s Public Affairs Committee (PAC) Chairperson Shadric Namalomba demands on justification for paying Batatawala.
“CDEDI would like to make inquiries on behalf of the marginalized masses, who are under the yoke of punitive taxes, on all the claims that are being made by Batatawala and all the other claimants, as follows:Were the contracts genuine?Were the contracts awarded on merit?Were the laws of Malawi followed to the letter in the whole tender process? You were quoted in the same article as having said that in most cases, these private firms never supplied any service or goods to the people of Malawi. Are the claims justifiable then?
“For your own information, there is widespread speculation from some sectors of the society, that your appointment to the office of the AG, was among other reasons, made in order to help facilitate claims of firms that are particularly connected to the Tonse Alliance major partner, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), hence the CDEDI’s appeal to your office to move the courts on the matter,” reads part of the letter.
CDEDI added, “CDEDI is appealing to the Minister of Finance, Hon. Felix Mlusu, and the Chairperson for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Hon. Shadric Namalomba (MP), to intervene on the matter.
“It is worth noting that such claims are coming at a time when the public health sector is on its knees, due to inadequate funding leading to loss of lives from preventable diseases and conditions, as a result of scarcity of essential drugs and medicines”.
AG Nyirenda was replaced with Chikosa Silungwe after failed to please MCP leadership on legal advises.
Below is CDEDI letter to AG Nyirenda on Batatawala:
Dear Sir,
RE: MK2 TRILLION PAYOUTS TO PRIVATE FIRMS
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has been called to duty once again, and writes you Hon. Attorney General (AG), with reference to the above stated subject.
The Sunday Times dated November 7, 2021 carried a screaming headline ‘MK2TN CLAIMS SADDLE GOVT,’ in which the paper reported that the Malawi Government is struggling to settle claims in excess of MK2 trillion from private firms, contractors and companies, emanating from legal compliance anomalies.
In the said article, apart from confirming the shocking development, you were also quoted as having said that the majority of such claims are made in instances where such companies never supplied any services or goods to the people of Malawi, but rather government was found in breach of terms of contract.
Hon. Attorney General, CDEDI would like to bring to your attention this specific quote from you: “The claims are more than our annual budget, technically in excess of MK2 trillion. There are some firms that have just so many demands, I will give you an example of Batawala; him alone has cumulative claims of about MK250 billion. There are court judgments, we are appealing and defending in all those cases.”
Just to put it into perspective, MK250 billion is enough to finance the Affordable Input Programme (AIP), targeting 3.7 million beneficiaries in Malawi. It is against this background that well-meaning Malawians breathed a sigh of relief, when they heard from the same article that the Attorney General’s office has stepped up efforts to save the taxpayers’ funds.
However, CDEDI would like to make inquiries on behalf of the marginalized masses, who are under the yoke of punitive taxes, on all the claims that are being made by Batatawala and all the other claimants, as follows:
Were the contracts genuine?
Were the contracts awarded on merit?
Were the laws of Malawi followed to the letter in the whole tender process?
You were quoted in the same article as having said that in most cases, these private firms never supplied any service or goods to the people of Malawi. Are the claims justifiable then?
We believe all these questions can ably be answered, and amicably resolved in court. CDEDI is, therefore, urging the AG’s office to challenge all these claims in court, in the spirit of saving the taxpayers’ money.
For your own information, there is widespread speculation from some sectors of the society, that your appointment to the office of the AG, was among other reasons, made in order to help facilitate claims of firms that are particularly connected to the Tonse Alliance major partner, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), hence the CDEDI’s appeal to your office to move the courts on the matter.
In the same vein, CDEDI is appealing to the Minister of Finance, Hon. Felix Mlusu, and the Chairperson for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Hon. Shadric Namalomba (MP), to intervene on the matter.
It is worth noting that such claims are coming at a time when the public health sector is on its knees, due to inadequate funding leading to loss of lives from preventable diseases and conditions, as a result of scarcity of essential drugs and medicines.
As per your tradition of promptly responding to the issues that are bordering on matters of national interest, which is a very commendable gesture, CDEDI is looking forward to seeing action being taken by your good office on this matter, very speedily.
Yours Faithfully,
Sylvester Namiwa, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
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