LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera is afraid of Hellen Buluma despite many recommendations of her illegal recruitment and abuse of office at National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA).
This comes as the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed receipt of a letter from Secretary to President and Cabinet (SPC), Colleen Zamba, responding to a determination on allegations of irregular and unlawful recruitment of Nocma’s deputy chief executive officer Hellen Buluma.
Zamba wrote the letter in her capacity as board chairperson for Nocma.
The determination by Ombudsman, Grace Malera, which was made on September 30, 2020, nullified Buluma’s recruitment.
Malera has also confirmed that her office has responded to Zamba’s letter.
“In our response we have advised the SPC/board chairperson that the law does not make provision for the position and approach that they have taken as Nocma directors to respond to a determination that has been delivered.
“Instead there are legal mechanisms that are at her disposal. It would help for her office to consult the Attorney General (AG) on the further conduct of this matter,” said Malera.
In her letter the SPC also indicated that the board was not given a right of reply before the determination.
But Malera said this is a misrepresentation of facts because the SPC/board chairperson was duly represented during an inquiry on July 21, 2022 by a senior officer from her office and her office also provided comprehensive written response and relevant documents submitted on July 27, 2022.
Meanwhile, the office of the Ombudsman has submitted a report of non-compliance to Parliament for action.
Inside OPC office told this publication that Zamba’s decision came from statehouse saying there is serious reasons why Chakwera is afraid to fire Buluma.
Bulama remains key witness in case in which former Energy Minister Newton Kambala, Enoch Chihana and Chris Banda (all them Chakwera’s partners in Tonse Alliance government) are accused interfering NOCMA in awarding fuel supply contracts.
“Buluma has key information regarding to scandals Chakwera and his aids been involved at NOCMA. Despite Buluma being opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) zealot, Chakwera is very afraid on this lady for personal reasons than that of public interests,” alleges the sources.
