Chiyembekeza Fails To Account For Questionable Sale Of Tractors, Maize Sheller’s

• Tractors meant for farm mechanisation by smallholder farmers were sold to former Vice President, present and former cabinet ministers, PS, Legislatures including Speaker and some companies

• Agriculture Minister failed to disclose amount realised, price for each tractor and Maize Shellers and how the realised funds were used

• Parliamentarians demands names of owners of companies that bought some tractors and views the sale as political

Kamulepo

Some opposition legislature’s have demanded total accountability and reasons that led to the sale of part of 177 Tractors and 144 Maize Shellers meant for farm mechanisation by smallholder farmers.

Members of Parliament (MP’s) also wants to know actual amount realised and how the proceeds from the sale of tractors and maize shellers were used including value of each machinery during the sale versus cost of buying of each item by Government some years ago.

However, of Minister Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development responsible to answer all those questions was so furious at the inquisitive legislatures and only gave what he said was what the House needed to know about the matter.

The matter was brought in the House following the question from Honourable Member for Rumphi East, Kamulepo Kalua to Allan Chiyembekeza, Minister of Agriculture on the Status and whereabouts of the Tractors and Maize Shellers which the country acquired sometime back from India. 

The legislature said wanted to know why the country’s smallholder farmers are still failing to do their farming using modern equipments especially tractors.

In his detailed account of number of the matter Minister said a total of 77 tractors went to Government Institutions which are ADD’s across the country; Karonga ADD got 6 tractors, Mzuzu ADD got 13 tractors, Kasungu got 15 tractors, Salima ADD got 6 tractors, Lilongwe ADD got 11 tractors, Machinga ADD got 8 tractors, Blantyre ADD got 11 tractors and Shire Valley ADD got 7 tractors. 

Chiyembekeza said the second part involves 31 Tractors, 13 Maize Shellers, 23 Tripping Shellers and 8 Seed Cam Fertiliser Applicators that were issued out to Government Departments and Institutions. These were; Crops Department (Horticulture Farm), Natural Resources College, National Food Reserve Agency, Department of Agriculture Research, Department of Animal Health, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Green Belt Initiative.

But the house was in disarray when he mentioned that some tractors were sold to companies, individuals and some farming associations without clear explanation of what prompted the sale and how that profited Government.

Chiyembekeza said, Tractors and implements sold in the first half of the offer went to 31 individuals and businesses. Among them Government officers who includes; Clement Kumbemba (current Executive Director of Malawi Investment Trade Centre MITC) and Rashid Mtelera (from OPC). Companies includes; Anachuma Holdings, IS Fred Limited, Green Leaf Association, Kasinthula Cane Growers and Wuli Trading Company.

In the second half sold to individuals including Francis Kasaila Minister of Transport, Honorable Khumbo Kachali former Vice President, Godfrey Ching’oma Malawi Congress Party MP, Richard Msowoya current speaker of National Assembly and Samuel Madula from OPC among others. 

But the minister was not clear to demands on how funds were used, what exactly lead to the sale of the tractors and who authorised it.

Salima Central legislature Felix Jumbe proposed that since some names are of high rank officials from Government there should be an inquiry as to how they conformed to the procurement system.

Responding on this, Agriculture Minister said the equipments were sold to Malawians after normal tender was opened to anyone and applications were reviewed. He said some Government Ministries and departments were represented in a Committee that was chaired by Office of President and Cabinet (OPC).

He said the committee made equipment evaluation and restricted nobody from the floated tender. But mostly, he said small and medium enterprises with a minimum land of 5 hectares were eligible to buy.

However, Kamulepo Kalua who brought the matter said was not satisfied with the explanation 

He said, he still wants names of directors of some companies named and suspects that those names have been deliberately concealed to prevent exposure of some top government officials.

Kamulepo emphasised that the sale was worrisome considering that the tractors were acquired through loan to support smallholder farmers do farm mechanisation to help country’s food security.

Leader of House, Francis Kasaila said Kamulepo is continously making very serious allegations which are demeaning the president by alleging that President is doing corruption and that he recently bought some vehicles dubiously. He asked the member to present his evidence by Friday or withdraw his statement.

However, Kamulepo said he did not mention President and he is not going to withdral his remarks because in his remarks he never metioned President. Instead he said he mentioned Presidential assistance at State House as the ones who are among people who bought the tractors and recently bought the said vehicles.

However, Kasaila insisted on his point saying the member knows that Presidential assistance do not stay at state house and therefore mentioning State House he meant president at all cost.

This forced Second Deputy Speaker Clement Chiwaya to make ruling that Kalua should bring the evidence to the House on Friday.

Later Salima South Uladi Mussa rose and complained that the sale never saved the purpose of the loan.

This was echoed by Malawi Congress Party Chief Whip Lobin Lowe who inquired about value of each tractor when sold versus cost of buying it.

Members insisted to get clear information    and it was that insistence which forced AgricuAgriculture Minister to read the full list of beneficiaries. However members still feel that the names are doctored and that the tractors sale was against the purpose of buying them.

Earlier, the minister indicated that the tractors when procured in 2011 were supposed to increase the existing tractors in ADD's and offer some tractors to farmer groups and Malawian farmers through sale to increase ownership of tractors.

He thereforw said 69 tractors were offered for sale in 2014 and later sold 37 other tractors early this year by tender.

Full list

First half sale of tractors and trailers

Clement Kumbemba
Peter Zimba
Anachuma Holdings
IS Fred Limited
Balaka Market Resource Centre
Prince Nyirenda
Green Leaf Association
Alfred Nkhono
FISD
R.E. Enterprises
Mirriam Pamam
ISAM
Invesco Farms
Kasinthula Cane Growers
Wuli Trading Company
Mishek G Essau
Spencer W. D Ng’oma
Peter H Shawa
Mulli Enterprises
J. Manong’a
A. Y. Namaona
Grey Nyandule Phiri
Christine Mtambo
Moffat J. Chitimbe
Dr. I Benence
Hillario R. Chimota
Bright B. Kumwembe
Gerald A. Kachepa
Steve Donda
W. G. Lipita
Rashid R. Mtelera

Tractors and Implements sold in the second half

Tisi Nthukwa
Francis Enoch Juwawo
Richard Makondi
Tapiwa Phiri
James Maseko
Ronny Phiri
Mrs. Dorothy Mataya
Ms. Mada Sambo
Francis I Kasaila
M. F Kanjere
B.B.C Majoni
Ben Botolo
Thomas Makiwa
Arthur A. M. Liwonga
Hon. Khumbo Kachali
Peter Fret
Godfrey P. N. Ching’oma
Dorothy Chimatiro
Grant C. Kapiya
M. I Chikuntha
Newby Henry Kumwembe
Chisomo Farms
Ephraim Chiume
William Kantayeni
Dr. Lovemore
Mr. I. J Luhanga
Mrs. I. J Luhanga
Hon. Richard Msowoya
Nditse V. Kampane
Tcholose Simwaka
 Margaret Loka Mauwa
Mr. Peter K. Simbani
D. G K. Mtupa
James C. G. Ali
Eddie Makungwa
Samuel Madula
Charles Kambauwa

National Assembly Passes Loan Bill For International Airport Upgrade

National Assembly on monday authorizes government to borrow K14 billion funds from European Investment Bank for the purpose of upgrading Chileka and Kamuzu International Airports to meet international standards on safety and security.

The House passed the bill after contributing and adopting the report on the bill from the Parliamentary Committee of Transport and Public Infrastructure.

The money from the European Investment Bank Loan Authorization Bill is to be used for the Project of upgrade of Aviation Safety and Security Equipment at Kamuzu and Chileka International Airports.

The bill passed with several amendments to the memorandum of the bill as proposed by the Parliamentary Committee of Transport and Public Infrastructure after scrutiny of the bill.

The amendments includes change of the title of the bill to read phase 1, change of Closed Circuit Television CCTV Link Tower to read Automated and Integrated Closed Circuit Television, wording of Wind Measuring Unit to Weather Measuring Unit and Radio to Radiosond.

Minister of Transport Francis Kasaila said the passing of the bill was timely because any delay will prevent flights into or out of Malawi because of airports safety and security conditions.

He promised that Government is now going to work flat-out making sure that within shortest time possible it procures equipments to improve on the concerns by International Civil Aviations Authority.

Throughout the deliberations, legislatures from Northern region emphasized the need to as well rehabilitate, Mzuzu airport which is hub for the north.

However, responding on calls for the need to rehabilitate Mzuzu Airport the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe said Government is waiting people from Mzuzu city to make a unison decision of the land where the airport could be relocated.

Gondwe said the main impediment for Government to commence consteuction of new airport in Mzuzu is because there are deffering views on where the airport be relocated to "Some wants the airport be relocated to Chiweta, someone says another place.

But it is up to us the people from the northern region to make a decision and then we can inform the ministry.” He said 

“Any thinking person will not oppose that, and as a citizen of Mzuzu I would like to see a very good international airport in Mzuzu and we will put in plans, as government we are very actively seeking funds to construct that airport. We have started with rehabilitation of Chileka and Kamuzu the next one is Mzuzu airport." He said but as to when that money is to be available, Gondwe said it is not known now because Government has to solicit funds.

Minister of Transport Francis Kasaila in an interview concurred with the Finance minister on this call saying Government would like to let people of Mzuzu to tell their choice of land for the Airport.

"The minister of finance made it clear, it is upon the people on the ground to decide the piece of the land that they can offer for the construction of the airport.

Few years ago Government spend to a tune of K250 million, to pay for the land and paid for compensation so that we relocate the airport to a safer place because where it is now is not a good place, you can easily have an accident. 

But after paying for that land and after having compensate people, the people there encroached on the same land. All that land that we got was encroached. Now government had nothing else to do apart from going back to square one and that is where we are saying we have to find land suitable for another airport." He said 

"After the people there decide where the free land for the airport is, we are going to send our technical people to do the necessary feasibility studies and after that appropriate designs would have to come in and then we will know what cost implications are going to come because of that airport and then we can look for the resources from donors or from other well-wishers who can support in that endeavor." Said Kasaila

He added that after the decision, Government will send technicians to do feasibility studies and calculate costs for construction of the airport and later look for the resources.

However, the Government decision to wait for the people of Mzuzu to make their own decision, saw a reaction from member of Rumphi Central, Kamulepo Kalua who protested against such decision by asking Government to make a conclusive decision forcing people to vacate with immediate effect from the already identified land.

But the Transport Minister said "It is not up to me (Government) to go and impose on the people",  "The ball is in their court." He added

The passed bill according to Kasaila will also boost aviation sector now that the Japanese are coming next year to provide an extension of the terminal building at Kamuzu International Airport. Through the Japanese project, there will be two separate buildings to allow domestic flights and international flights passengers use their own terminals.

Bisnowaty Is A Foreigner! Rants Some Legislatures In National Assembly

The National Assembly debate on national issues was put on hold for a while when some angry opposition members of Parliament failed to hold their temper and began to call the Lilongwe City Central legislature David Bisnowaty ‘ignorant’ of Malawi issues and ‘foreigner’ over remarks relating to late Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda rule.

Hon Bisnowaty was responding to Lilongwe Rural South legislature Peter Dimba holding the floor. Dimba dispelled allegations that Malawi experienced food shortage and imported maize during Kamuzu era.

Bisnowaty who stood on point of order after Rumphi East Legislature, Kamulepo Kalua had branded the current Government as ‘jokers’, told the house that during the 31 year reign of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Malawians were suppressed and therefore if there was any food shortages people wouldn’t have known about it and any person would have been in trouble once heard talking about existence of hunger. 

But even before Bisnowaty took his seat, some legislatures allegedly from Malawi Congress Party (MCP), shouted at him to sit down while making racism remarks “Khala pansi Iwee! … Ukudziwa chiyani zakuno ku Malawi munthu olowera pa passport ngati iwe!.. Foreigner”

The Racism tirade in the house went out of hand and the Second Deputy Speaker, Clement Chiwaya’s shouts to restore order seemed to have no value at all as another member was heard shouting “Muyuda azipita kwawoooo uyu!

Another angry outburst from the noise was heard; “Akutiyamba dala uyu, Mzimene anakamuuza a DPP zimenezo? Ala!” one legislature shouted.

Rumphi East legislature Kamulepo Kaua stood without being recognized by the Speaker and said “Let us not discriminate against anybody, let us be Malawian, let us show leadership and I don’t prescribe to this no, no, no, no!”

However, Kalua was interrupted both by the speaker who was trying to calm the legislatures and another member who was continuing making racism remarks “Alibe mudzi uyu, alibe munda, akuchitachani kuno, mbava izipita kwawo iyi, Myuda!”

“Honorable members can we avoid discriminatory words that are not parliamentary…” pleaded Chiwaya but was interrupted by another rant, “Ndizoona Dala, Ndizoona Dala alibe mudzi ku Malawi uyu. Amayi ako anapita kuti iweyo, 

The continued waves of discriminatory words made the Second Deputy Speaker, Clement Chiwaya to be left with no other option but to ask the leadership of both sides in the National Assembly to help restore order.

“We cannot proceed this way, may I ask leadership on both sides to help us to restore order!” pleaded Chiwaya 

 “Much as we want to express whatever we want to express let us do it in an orderly manner and at the same time avoid discriminatory words that are not parliamentary” advised Chiwaya

Immediately after the speaker made the directive, another legislature stood up on point of order making another racism remarks “Ndimafuna kuti timuuze kuti alibe manda a aMbuyake asamachite mwano ameneyu!”

However, after some few minutes, the house was back to normal and the Lilongwe Rural South legislature Peter Dimba, was asked to continue holding the floor commenting on number of issues relating to agriculture, food availability in ADMARC markets and current situation of hunger as well as on distribution of Farm Input Subsidy materials.