24-hr security for Accountant General
Police is providing 24-hour security for Accountant General (AG) David Kandoje in the wake of the shooting of Ministry of Finance (MoF) budget director Paul Mphwiyo, The Nation has established.
In the same vein, there are now two armed police officers daily manning a room that houses the data server for the suspended government accounting system, Integrated Financial Information Management System (IFMIS), cordoning it from any interference.
Both police and MoF confirmed the developments yesterday, but painted a picture of the actions “being usual and administrative”.
For the first time, The Nation has observed a plain-clothed security officer besides Kandoje, but MoF spokesperson Nations Msowoya suggested that “the Accountant General is not the first public officer to get such a privilege.”
He said: “Others are also given such privilege to use such security but maybe he has seen the need to use that privilege now.”
On the other hand, national police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo said it has become necessary to provide such security.
Police is also guarding Ifmis server room which has since been sealed.
Said Manjolo: “It is a government facility where it has been deemed necessary to provide those services.”
Meanwhile, issues surrounding the Mphwiyo puzzle have pushed civil society organisations (CSOs) — so far seen as flat since change of the presidency from Bingu wa Mutharika to Joyce Banda —into action again.
Council for Non-Governmental Organisations (Congoma) chairperson Voice Mhone confirmed yesterday that CSOs have regrouped in what used to be called Grand Coalition Movement (GCM).
Asked if this is a result of the Mphwiyo issue, Mhone said “partly” yes.
“Some of these things are deep-rooted but government is handling them with kid gloves.
“Having realised that individual CSO networks have made comments and contributions towards national discourse with no positive feedback from duty bearers, the CSOs have reverted to the Grand Coalition Movement as it were,” he said.
