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VP refuses to resign

Kachali: I don't know why i am being linked
Kachali: I don’t know why i am being linked

Vice-President Khumbo Kachali has said he will not resign as called by opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Parliament.

The Vice-President has also distanced himself from Cross Marketing Limited, a company which is alleged to have been fraudulently paid millions of kwacha from government coffers. Information in the public domain has linked Kachali to the said company, allegedly paid K68 million (US$183 783) without delivering any services to the government.

But Kachali told Parliament yesterday: “I don’t know why I am being linked to this [Cross Marketing Limited] but the information that I have through my legal experts is informing me that the directors of this company are Lekani Loga, Khumbo Nyirenda, Billiat Loga, Luke Kasamba and Charles Kapapa. We will meet where we can to clarify this in our courts so that the law takes its course.”

Kachali has since sued Galaxy Broadcasting Company, owners of Galaxy FM, for damages for defamation amounting to K1 billion for linking him to the company in a programme the radio aired on Sunday.

The letter, signed by the Vice-President’s lawyer, Gift Nankhuni, accuses the radio of linking Kachali to events surrounding the Capital Hill cash-gate.

Reads the letter in part: “The said [radio] programme stipulated that our client was privy to the deletion of the government accounts systems called Ifmis [Integrated Financial Management Information System] to hide fraudulent transactions and that he received payments from government for no services delivered through a company which he allegedly owns called Cross Marketing Limited. Our client informs us that all these are total lies which cannot be substantiated at all and he has no links whatsoever with Cross Marketing Limited.”

Earlier in Parliament, Kachali’s response that he will not resign followed on MCP and DPP’s responses to his statement to the National Assembly in which he outlined government’s actions following revelations of theft and fraud at Capital Hill.

In its response, MCP through Vitus Dzoole Mwale called for the resignation of the Vice-President citing his involvement through the same company.

Said Dzoole Mwale: “We have now heard of the Veep’s involvement. We are demanding that the Vice-President should resign to allow for investigations to take place. Resignation in such circumstances is normal in civilised countries.”

In his response, DPP leader in Parliament George Chaponda mentioned several companies, among them Cross Marketing and International Procurement Services. He cited cheque numbers and amounts siphoned, companies which he claimed belonged to senior politicians in the ruling People’s Party (PP).

Claimed Chaponda: “Top PP leadership has identified and even created companies and firms which are being used as conduits for siphoning the funds for work that will never be done. Some of the companies have the PP leaders as signatories or part owners.”

He added that the new Cabinet, which consists mostly of members of the old Cabinet, should demonstrate that it played no role in the cash-gate.

On his part, UDF chief whip Clement Chiwaya called for the resignation of all people in public positions, adding that such plunder could not have happened without the involvement of politicians.

He said: “Malawians cannot buy that all this has happened without the involvement of politicians.”

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