President of the National Salvation Front (Nasaf) James Nyondo says the decision by the then ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) to remove 19 principal secretaries from government in 1994 is what has led to the plunder of public resources over the years.
Addressing the press in Lilongwe this week, Nyondo said this country’s first president Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda left a professional civil service which was touted as the best in Africa but lost its glory once the UDF assumed leadership.
Said Nyondo: “The problems that we are seeing in government today started in 1994 when 19 principal secretaries were summarily relieved of their posts through retirements. The only crime that these people committed was working closely with Dr Banda and serving him diligently and professionally.”
Nyondo said after firing the principal secretaries, politicians started ordering controlling officers to authorise dubious payments and expenditures.
“This is the reason why after 1994, every [political party] that comes into government becomes rich all of a sudden. They buy many vehicles, party materials and their own personal wealth grows to unproportional levels,” said Ndovi.
