Ministry, Escom spar over foreign travels
Battle lines have been drawn between Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Secretary for Energy Engineer Alfonso Chikuni over foreign travel restrictions due to foreign exchange shortage in the country.
Escom board chairperson Morgan Tembo has since written Secretary to the Treasury (ST) McDonald Mafuta Mwale requesting a review of the current stance regarding the approval of Escom external work- related trips, especially those with a technical focus.
The feud apparently started on October 30 this year after Escom chief executive officer Kamkwamba Kumwenda made a travel request to Chikuni for 10 executive management members and 10 board members to travel to South Africa in two groups for tranings in corporate governnace from November 5 to 18 this year.
But Chikuni referred the matter to Comptroller of Statutory Corporations Peter Simbani on the basis that he needed a higher authority to intervene due to the restrictions on foreign travel.
The trip, according to Chikuni, has not been approved.
On November 6, Tembo wrote Mafuta Mwale expressing concern over the increasing number of external work-related trips being rejected.
He said: “These engagements are essential for representing our country’s interests and ensuring that Escom remains at the forefront of developments in the power sector.
“Regrettably, the rejection of these trips means that Escom’s voice is absent from these important discussions and learning and growth forums, which inevitably can have adverse consequences for our organisation and the nation.”
While acknowledging full support for the austerity measures, Tembo said there must be an established trust that appropriate and reasoned judgement has been applied by the board in the approval process of the trips.
In an interview yesterday, Chikuni said obsession with allowances was prevalent, not only for Escom, but across parastatals.
He said: “A daily allowance rate in government for external travel is $120, but for parastatals it is $400. But what is important for us is that our forex reserves are very slim, and we have to be as frugal as possible.It looks like we are getting a lot of resistance.”
While claiming that Kumwenda has travelled without his approval, Chikuni suggested that we talk to Simbani, who could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Tembo could also not be reached for comment, but Kumwenda confirmed travelling. However, he dismissed assertions that he travelled without approval.
“We got necessary approvals. On why it is presumed that Escom is being restrained, I don’t have an answer,” he said through a WhatsApp text.
Mwale, on the other hand, said he was yet to see the letter from Escom, but stated that parastatals and public entities were generally adhering to the restrictions.
On August 7, the Office of the President and Cabinet issued a circular that restricted external travel for Cabinet members, principal secretaries, directors of government ministries, departments and agencies and CEOs of State-owned entities.
