Chakwera Accuse Govt of Cashgate Report manipulation, politicizing Cashgate Prosecution Process
The
Leader of Opposition in Parliament and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Hon.
Dr. Lazarus Chakwera says government “manipulated” a Baker Tilly Cashgate Audit
Report now in the public hands and that the process of prosecution of people
involved has been politicized.
A
Baker Tilly cashgate Audit report was made public and Minister of Justice and
Constitution Affairs Hon. Samuel Tembenu when presenting the report to Minister
of Information last month indicated that the report was intact as was presented
to the Auditor General by Baker Tilly itself.
But
when interacting with the media in Lilongwe on Wednesday evening, the MCP
leader Dr. Lazarus Chakwera said Cashagete report was manipulated and that government
is not properly handling the cashgate cases.
Though
he did not come so clear to specify by citing where the report is indicating
any discrepancy from the original Baker Tilly Cashgate Audit report and the
report in circulation, he said in Chichewa that “Ngati tifuna chilungamo chenicheni chazinthu zonse, panafunika kuti
ndondomeko yonse yofunika pazinthu izi, ngakhale a Malawi akuti tipatseni
zakuti, tiuzeni zakuti, zizikhala zotsatidwa bwino molingana ndi malamulo
adzikolino. Tonse timafuna atiuze zidayenda bwanji maina adakhala bwanji, koma
zimaonetsa poyera kuti ukawerenga Script ija zimene zakhala highlighted ndizinthu
zimene zikukhudzana ndi wakuti wakuti” meaning (For the truth of the matter
to be known, proper process and laws of this country were supposed to be
followed though there was demand and growing interest of every Malawian to know
contents of the report. We all wanted to know who are involved and what
happened but this report is only highlighting things that are associated with
some individuals)
“We all want the truth and it does not matter
whether the person involved belongs to MCP or not, this is because we are
interested in the public money which was stolen and MCP cannot back anyone even
if that person was associated with MCP” said Chakwera
On
how government is handling Cashgate prosecution process he said although government
has stepped up prosecution of Cashgate cases following the release of the
Cahsgate report, the process “seems extremely slow and heavily politicized.”
He
therefore demanded “Justice of color blind” as government is pursuing the
matter, commit to conduct the audit from 2005- 2012 to ensure that all cases of
corruption are prosecuted and stepping up of efforts to curb on-going
corruption in government institutions.
Chakera
also raised number of issues that are affecting Malawi and how his party
intends to move forward after losing elections this year.
He
noted with concern that it is now four month into new financial year of
2014/2015 without implementation of FISP programme which he said the delay is
likely to affect the productivity in the agricultural sector. He added that
this might be worsened by Kwacha depreciation as farm inputs will be costly
high.
“If
we miss agriculture, we are deliberately extending the lean periods we normally
experience.” He warned, while calling government to commence FISP programme immediately
and address problems usually associated with FISP.
Chakwera
also mentioned that he is disappointed as the President of Malawi Congress
Party and Leader of Opposition in Parliament that the pace of implementing
government programmes targeting poor is too slow, and heavily biased towards the
already privileged.
He
urged government to serious address issues of increased cost of living, Lack of
financial prudence due to political appointments of “army of presidential
advisors and members into parastatal boards,” security breakdown, need to offer
reasonable pay hike to junior staff members and resolve the industrial strikes
in judiciary and Ministry of Education are.
However,
Chakwera said MCP has put aside issues and grievances surrounding tripartite
elections and chose to put interest of people first for Malawi to move forward.
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