VP to explain cash-gate scandal in Parliament

Assani says ‘even JB relations will be punished’

Vice-President Khumbo Kachali has been tasked to carry the government burden of explaining to the 193-member National Assembly the Capital Hill cash-gate scandal and what the Joyce Banda administration is doing about it.

This arrangement comes amid calls from the public as well as donors, some of whom have started withholding their taxpayers’ funds to Malawi after being incensed at the looting of public funds at Capital Hill.

Leader of the House Henry Phoya, who is also Minister of Lands, yesterday confirmed that Kachali will present a “comprehensive report on the looting”.

“That will be the first business we will bring to the House as you know Parliament was scheduled to meet in November, but the President said we should meet now partly because of this,” he said.

Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda yesterday assured that time and rules will not be a hindrance to a thorough debate on the cash-gate scandal.

He said leaders of opposition parties will be given a chance to give their responses as well.

In a separate interview, newly appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Fahad Assani, tasked with reviewing the Corrupt Practices Act, said the President has assured him “that she will not protect anybody”.

Assani, who served as Director of Public Prosecutions almost a decade ago, said: “She says even members of her family if they are found to be part of the problem, they have to be punished.

“We want to have well-investigated cases where we are likely to secure convictions and be able to recover all looted funds.

“The President is looking at a possibility of 10 percent recovery and forfeiture of all property coming as a result of this looting.”

Opposition parties recently told the press that they are eagerly awaiting answers on the looting which the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) suspects has cost the taxpayer in the regions of K20 billion.

Currently, less than 10 people have been arrested after being found with unexplained millions of kwacha or discovered to have received billions of kwacha from government without delivering a single service.

Meanwhile, government is bringing three new bills on the floor in the names of Declaration of Assets Bill, Estate Duty Amendment Bill and Trafficking in Persons Bill.

Phoya said two more bills — University of Malawi and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources — left out in previous meetings, are also scheduled to appear on the order paper.

Malawi has long been blamed as a weak link in the human trafficking where traffickers have passed through the with very lenient penalties where culprits have been caught.

The Assets Declaration Bill comes amid loud calls for the President to publicly declare her assets, the demand she has scorned.