NAO probes Mzuni, Mombera funds
The National Audit Office (NAO) has launched two separate investigations on how some funds allocated to the construction of Mzuzu University (Mzuni) library and Mombera University in Mzimba were used.
The investigations into the two projects follow a complaint whistleblowers lodged with the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) over how funds allocated during the 2019/2020 fiscal year were spent.
NAO spokesperson Rabson Kagwamminga confirmed instituting the separate probes in a written response, saying the office embarked on the exercise during the first two weeks of September 2022.
He said: “I can confirm that we have commenced an investigative audit into the alleged mismanagement of K2 483 000 000.00 and K1 000 000 000.00 meant for the construction of Mombera University and the refurbishment of Mzuzu University library, respectively, in the 2019/2020 fiscal year.”
He explained that the audit came following a letter from ACB seeking the Auditor General’s indulgence on the alleged mismanagement of the funds in question having received complaints from the public.
However, Kagwamminga could not disclose the substantive details of their investigations. He referred Weekend Nation to ACB for further details, but the bureau’s principal public relations officer Egrita Ndala did not respond to our inquiry when contacted.
A memo written by acting Auditor General Thomas Makiwa to Mzuni vice-chancellor John Kalenga Saka titled ‘Refurbishment of the University’s Library’, which Weekend Nation has seen, indicates that the investigation started on September 5 2022.
“My office has received a complaint through the Anti-Corruption Bureau that there was an expenditure of spent one billion kwacha for the refurbishment of the university’s library but very little was done on the ground.
“Therefore, I would like to inform you that my office intends to commence an investigation on the same. The work is expected to start on Monday, 5th September 2022 with an entry meeting,” reads part of a letter dated September 1 2022 under reference number AUD/250/2022/2.”
In an emailed response Mzuzu university registrar Yolamu Ngwira said: “We are unable to respond to your questionnaire at the moment given that the Audit Report findings are not yet out. We do not want to prejudice or compromise the exercise.”
On his part, Ministry of Education spokesperson Chikondi Chimala said the ministry was aware of the investigations but “cannot make any comment as it is currently under the realm of NAO”.
“However, it is worth noting that while the ministry provides policy
direction, both institutions are autonomous institutions. But the ministry can only comment substantively after completion of the audits and accessing the contents of the reports,” he said.
The alleged plunder of the funds first came to light in
December 2020 when the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), through its whistleblower initiative, wrote ACB to probe the two projects.
In its letter, HRDC people of Malawi would like to know how this money was actually spent, and would like your office to carry out investigations into these allegations,” reads the letter dated December 1 2020.
Government is, through the Public Sector Improvement Programme, funding the construction of the new Mzuzu University library that caught fire in 2015 in which property worth about K6 billion was destroyed. The university, among others, lost around 50 000 books and over 100 computers due to the fire.
The university wants to have a modern facility that will be recognised internationally, accommodating about 5 500 learners against the previous library which had a capacity of about 150 students.
According to Ministry of Education, the project will cost around K7.5 billion with several other partners such as the Germany Embassy also supporting the project.
Construction of the modern library started in November 2020 and was expected to be completed in 24 months [by November 2022] but the works have delayed due to various factors, including contractual disagreements.
For instance, in October last year the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) stopped the project contractor China State Construction Engineering Limited from proceeding with works for breaching requirement of subcontracting and joint ventures order.
Under section 10 of National Construction Industry Act (order of 2014) foreign construction firms wishing to provide services in Malawi are required to provide those services in association with a member practice or local firm.
The Chinese firm was later fined by the High Court of Malawi Commercial Division $2 million (about K2 billion) for breach of the requirements on the project together with the Karonga Water Project, which it was also carrying out.
Mzuni was established in 1997 by the Bakili Muluzi administration and became the country’s second public university with an enrolment of 4 000 students.
On the other hand, Mombera University, which the Tonse Alliance administration has changed to Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University, is one of the projects with detailed designs and construction of road network in and outside the campus. The project is run under the Malawi Universities Development Programme.
A 2019/20 education sector performance report, released in November 2021 by the Ministry of Education, indicated that millions of Kwacha have been allocated to the Mombera University project since 2015, but could not be traced.
In February this year, government terminated contract for architectural designs for the university citing poor and substandard work by Clinton and Evans and Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group.
The Ministry of Education has since appointed a public university working committee to oversee the implementation of the new public universities development projects starting with M’mbelwa University. The committee is chaired by Professor Zachary Kasomekera.
Currently, public universities include University of Malawi with its campus in Zomba, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (with campuses in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mangochi, Mzuni, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences.
