Cdedi wants Mkaka fired, others suspended

Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) has asked President Lazarus Chakwera to fire Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change Eisenhower Mkaka pending conclusion of investigations sorrounding the importation of his vehicle.

In a statement issued after a press briefing conducted yesterday, Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa further demanded an explanation from government on why some senior public officers were still discharging their duties amid allegations that they claimed unjustifiable allowances from the Accountant General’s office when junior staff accused of the same were arrested and interdicted.

Namiwa said: “The President’s return home [from the United Nations General Assembly] has coincided with debate over serious allegations that he manipulated the report submitted to him by the Anti-Corruption Bureau [ACB] for political expediency.

“Malawians waited to hear him say something about this very important matter which touches on his credibility.”

He further demanded that the President should clear himself on assertions that he prematurely announced  names of corruption suspects connected to dealings with United Kingdom-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar.

Namiwa has since appealed to the donor community to support the ACB to hire good lawyers to tackle crucial cases, saying the political elite is trying to frustrate the bureau.

Both Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako, the official government spokesperson, and presidential spokesperson Anthony Kasunda were not immediately available to comment.

In July, ACB said it was investigating Mkaka following information in documents allegedly leaked from Malawi Revenue Authority linking his  personal vehicle to one purchased by Sattar.

The documents showed that the vehicle,  a Mercedes Benz 5350d L AMG, then with a registration number KT17OAO, was allegedly shipped to Malawi on June 26 2020 through Walvis Bay, Namibia.