Asks Anti-NAC Gate
CSOs to Cancel Demonstrations
The
concerned Business persons finally return K5 Million Kwacha to National Aids Commission
(NAC) through Chief Secretary on 24th December 2014. The returned
money is a pay back on behalf of First Laday’s initiative Beautify Malawi Trust
(BEAM) following demands from Civil Society Organizations asking BEAM and
Mulhakho Wa Lhomwe to return the money which they accessed from NAC through
dubious means.
Barnett Chinsinga the leader of 10 business persons that contributed the funds
confirmed to FM 101 Power that the group handed over the money through Chief
Secretary George Mkondiwa and were accompanied by rights activist Robert Mkwezalamba of Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) who signed the document with
Chief Secretary.
 |
| Receipt Document |
He
said business people hope that following this development the planned
demonstrations by Anti-NAC Gate CSOs who are demanding the return of the money
to be canceled adding that if they don’t then they are having a hidden agenda.
“Yes
we did that,” confirmed Chinsinga “as of
now what we know is that Robert Mkwezalamba is the one responsible for that, we
went together with him” but declined to comment why they failed to accompany
with five CSOs that are demanding the return of the money.
But
he said “What I can add on issue about people who are not wishing well for Malawi,
they should stop what they have prepared. They have been murmuring all these
days that they want to do their demonstrations because of the money we have
returned. So our appeal is to stop their demonstrations, if they will continue that
means it was another issue may be they were doing such a thing because of political
issues.”
He
added that there is nothing which can make CSOs continue for demonstrations and
urged Malawians to avoid resorting demonstrations saying demonstrators often became
wild to the extent of destroying businesses.
HRCC
executive director Robert Mkwezalamba confirmed of his presence and signing of
the document indicating that the money has reached government. He said what
remain is BEAM to officially write NAC explaining reasons for returning the
money as required by NAC.
“Yes
I was there, actually there was a document which we developed together with
Chief Secretary” a document which he said himself together with Chief Secretary
signed and Mr. Chinsinga signed on behalf of business people as a witness.
“NAC
falls under the Office of President and Cabinet” he justified deposit of the
funds with Chief Secretary on behalf of government adding that NAC officials
were on Christmas and New Year holiday when the business grouping wanted to
refund the money.
“The
idea is to have the money sent to NAC and by the time we had wanted to give the
money NAC said they are on holiday till fifth of January. So if you are looking
at the process where after the fifth of January we can go back and get the
money and pay to NAC or using government system that the Chief Secretary is
just going to transfer the funds in the normal system to NAC, but at the end of
the day we only want to see the outcome whether the funds have gone to NAC or
not and that can be confirmed after holiday” he said
Meanwhile
Anti-NAC Gate CSOs led by five institutions CHRR, Cedep, MANERELA, MANET + and
MHEN maintains that neither Mulhakho Wa Alhomwe nor BEAM trust has refunded the
money, as such demonstrations to press for their refund of money remain intact
on 13th January 2015.
