UDF clears Mponda of financial mismanagement

The United Democratic Front (UDF) disciplinary committee on Thursday cleared party deputy secretary general Gerard Mponda on charges of misappropriation of K1.4 million (about $3 500).

The committee, chaired by former Blantyre City mayor John Chikakwiya, also recommended that the party’s secretary General Kandi Padambo should apologise to Mponda for making the claims without asking him privately.

On October 27 2012, Mponda went to withdraw K1.4 million from the party’s account, which Padambo questioned.

But in his response, Mponda admitted to withdrawing the money since he had identification. Mponda wrote Padambo that the cheque was duly authorised and signed. He wondered why he queried him instead of those that signed the cheque.

The powers to draw money from the (party) accounts were Kennedy Makwangwala as secretary general, George Nga Mtafu as treasurer general, Bakili Muluzi as chairman (retired) and Lillian Patel as national conference chairperson. If a cheque is duly authorised by any two of these names and /or have appended their signatures, the banks have to honour that payment,” said Mponda.

He emphasised that the transaction was known by the previous party administration.

In an interview after the hearing, Chikakwiya disclosed that the committee had found Mponda with no case to answer.

“It was wrong to blame Mponda because after withdrawing, the money was given to those that sent him and was properly used. We are compiling how the money was spent,” said Chikakwiya.