The United Democratic Front (UDF) has condemned the way government is handling the cash-gate scandal, arguing arrests being made are personal ‘sacrifices’ meant to blind Malawians.
Speaking in an interview, UDF spokesperson Ken Ndanga on Tuesday said government lacks seriousness in handling the scandal, a development that has led to suspension of donor aid.
Ndanga said investigations have spared a number of ministers and other senior government officials whose companies are linked to the looting.
He said UDF was surprised that President Joyce Banda retained some of the ministers, a development, which he said is affecting investigations.
He said the retention was tantamount to shielding the culprits contrary to her word that no one will be will be protected.
“As UDF we are not happy with the away the matter is being handled.
The President’s first reaction to the matter was that no one will be shielded and she went ahead to dissolve the cabinet. People were eager to see new faces in the Cabinet, but it happened that most of the faces were retained.
“I will not mention names, but there are companies linked to the looting belonging to the ministers and the ministers are not being investigated,” said Ndanga.
He also said the way the arrests are being made leaves room for suspicion.
Ndanga said there was no way suspects of such a serious matter can be handing themselves to police at their own time.
“How can a wanted person for a case of this nature travel from another country into Malawi without being arrested at check points and the arrest took the suspects willingness to get arrested? This means if they never handed themselves over police wouldn’t have made the arrests.
“There are a lot of questions to be answered because we feel that these are sacrificial arrests, there are more senior officials who have been left out and need to be arrested,” said Ndanga.
