State House officials warned against fraud
State House chief of staff Prince Kapondamgaga has warned officials working for State residences against using President Lazarus Chakwera’s name to get favours or acquire goods or services.
The warning follows reports of alleged land grabbing by officials from State House, Lilongwe City Council and Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).
It is alleged that officials shared plots in Lilongwe’s Area 49 and started construction before community members stopped them and reported the matter to Lilongwe City Council.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kapondamgaga reminded the members of staff that according to their strategic plan, they are committed to desist from deceitful, unethical, dishonest, fraudulent and harmful acts to the reputation and trust of the President.
Reads the statement in part: “These acts are unacceptable, unprofessional and constitute gross indiscipline, and will not be tolerated. They constitute significant breaches of trust placed in us by the State President. Anyone found engaging in these types of misconduct, irrespective of grade, will be subjected to severe discipline, up to and including immediate dismissal.”
Therefore, Kapondamgaga urged the members of staff to adhere to the values stipulated in the Strategic Plan and in their Code of Conduct at all times or expect severe sanctions.
Following the allegations, both Minister of Lands Samuel Kawale and his deputy Deus Gumba Banda on Tuesday visited the disputed piece of land to appreciate the extent of the encroachment.
Speaking before community members, Kawale said he will not tolerate this kind of impunity.
“No one will be spared whether a Cabinet minister, official from State House, party member or government official,” he said.
Kawale said the matter has been reported to the officials’ respective employers for action.
During the tour, community members expressed their concerns over the encroachment, saying the piece of land, which is in a prime area around Area 49 and less than a kilometre from the main road connecting Area 49 and 25, is public and cannot just be shared anyhow.
The area, which is as big as five football grounds, is a newly-developed place with sprouting mansions where a foundation has been partly built.
The community members and Lilongwe City Central legislator Alfred Jiya (Malawi Congress Party) insisted that government should deal with the officials and have them dismissed from employment to send a strong message that the Tonse Alliance administration is committed to end a long standing culture of land grabbing.
Banda assured the concerned community members that the land grabbing will stop. He also thanked them for their sense of ownership over public land.
He said: “The moment we heard of this, we had to act. When we received the names of people involved we made sure we do something about this and believe me, this is the end of it.
“The authority on matters of land in this country rests with the President and then minister (s) of Lands who have been given delegated authority.”
Banda said no State House or party officials should grab land, describing it as illegal.
