AG demands MEC full forensic audit

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said the Auditor General (AG) has recommended that a full forensic investigation should be carried out at the commission following a financial scandal at the institution which led to the suspension of some senior managers last year.

MEC chairperson Jane Ansah said this yesterday at a press briefing in Blantyre following the release of an investigative audit report.

She said one of the recommendations in the report is taking disciplinary measures on alleged errant officers.

“The commission will now study the findings and start the necessary processes of implementing the recommendations which may involve taking disciplinary action and make necessary adjustments and improvement which will necessitate the delivery of the commission’s core functions effectively,” said Ansah.

MEC in August 2016 sent on forced leave a number of its senior officials who included chief elections officer Willie Kalonga and his deputy Harris Potani, director of administration and human resources George Khaki, director of finance Khumbo Phiri, procurement officer Chimwemwe Kamala and assistant procurement officer Sydney Ndembe.

MEC said the investigative audit has, among other things, unveiled issues of inadequate responses to audit queries by management, the manual use of accounting processes and misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the MEC Act. n