Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu has described the DPP press briefing as an act of desperation which offers no solution to the challenges Malawians are facing.
He said it was also interesting to note that all faces present at the Lilongwe press conference on Thursday have a signature of corruption in their faces.
Said Kunkuyu: “If you talk of the cement gate, these are the faces. You talk of theft of fuel for generators, these are the actors. You talk of misprocurement, those are the faces.
“They don’t have a moral standing to point fingers at an administration that has made efforts to tackle corruption seriously.”
Kunkuyu, who is also the government spokesperson, was responding to calls for President Lazarus Chakwera to dismiss some top government officials implicated in corruption allegations, including Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) Colleen Zamba and some Cabinet ministers named in the recent alleged fuel procurement deal.
The minister said fighting corruption is not about making statements, but laying down systems that will work now and in the future, adding that the DPP should mind their business and not push the President to fire government officials.
“Let them run the opposition. The President is running the government and we have seen the President hiring and firing people based on powers conferred on his office.
“We believe in the wisdom of the President. He knows who to put in office and when. And the President has those powers and he needs not to be told by people who cannot even manage a political party,” said Kunkuyu.
Speaking on Thursday at a press briefing themed ‘Unmasking MCP Corruption, Impunity and Electoral Fraud’ DPP officials said besides Zamba, it wants Minister of Transport Jacob Hara and Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale because of reports of corruption in procurement of fuel and fertiliser.
DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito said this will allow for “independent investigations” into allegations levelled against them.
He added that Parliament should take interest to investigate all individuals involved including foreign suppliers and financial institutions.
Said Mukhito: “In fact MCP was in the forefront agitating for the resignation of George Chaponda. Why are they not doing the same now?”
The DPP secretary general was referring to a case where various quarters, including MCP when it was in opposition, called for the resignation of Chaponda who was the minister of Agriculture, over allegations of corruption in the procurement of maize from Zambia.
Chaponda was removed from Cabinet following the pressure, but was later cleared of wrongdoing in a court of law.
The DPP further claimed that the MCP has plans to arrest some DPP top brass ahead of the September 2025 General Elections, a development which has created fear. The party officials also cried foul over national identity (ID) cards as a requirement for one to register for the general elections as stated by the law.
The party demanded that the National Registration Bureau (NRB) and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) ensure that all eligible voters acquire the ID card and register for the 2025 General Election.
MEC is set to roll out voter registration on October 21 when NRB has been facing challenges to register Malawians for IDs, the sole form of identification for voter registration.
DPP director of women Mary Navicha, p u b l i c i t y s e c r e t a r y Shadric Namalomba and presidential adviser Jean Mathanga attended the briefing.
MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa has previously said the electoral body will follow the existing law on voter registration.
NRB spokesperson Norman Fulatira was also quoted by The Nation on Thursday as saying NRB is satisfied that it has done a great job.
