3 Admarc officials pockets K53mil to cancel maize procurement deals in US: CSOs condemn Malawi govt
Three senior officials of State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) have pocketed K53 million in allowances and accommodation just to cancel maize procurement deals.
Admarc chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe on Friday told a parliamentary inquiry that the three; Admarc chairman James Masumbu, Admarc deputy CEO Margaret Mauwa and Admarc director of Finance Henry Kanjewe, are in the US to cancel the already clinched maize deal.
“They will meet the maize dealers from the Americas who have travelled to the US. They want to tell them Malawi will not buy the maize because the harvest time is just around the corner,” said Mulumbe.
Admarc, has recently been under the spotlight for the alleged maize procurement scandal.
Mulumbe told the inquiry that the government has suspended the procurement of maize because there is enough grain to take the country through the lean period.
The parliamentary inquiry was set up to probe how Mulumbe and Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda procured maize from. Zambia after reports of suspicious dealings with middleman Kaloswe.
Mulumbe appeared before the inquiry, the second time but Chaponda was no show on Friday.
.CSO’s condemnation
Members of the civil society organisations have reacted angrily to the decision by government to send an Admarc delegation to the US, saying they could have waited for the outcome of the commission of inquiry on maizegate to conclude its investigations in the procurement of the Zambia maize.
Civil Society on Agriculture Network (Cisanet) executive director Tamani Nkhono Mvula said the trip was questionable.
“Why are they going to US when the inquiries are going on?” said Mvula.
He said government should have used Malawi mission in the US.
“I don’t see any reason why the government should spend money on allowances and travel for the three when our embassy can do the job,” he said, adding, “this is a waste of money.”
Mulumbe, who is on forced leave, told a parliamentary inquiry on the procurement of the Zambia maize that the state grain trader has 106 million metric tonnes of maize bought locally last year and can take the nation up to the next harvest season in March.
National Food Reserve Agency CEO Nasimuko Saukira also said the grain reserves have 100 million metric tonnes which he said can take the nation up to March and beyond.
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Just a piece of an advice to the Americans and other world leading countries that in reality,Malawi is uncontrollable corrupt nation in the world so far that,the government of Malawi must be held accountable for this maize obnoxious scandle which has tainted the President Peter Muthalika and his regime.MK53 million is such amount that can not settle into the personal pockets of Muthalika’s hardcore henchmen,while our economic footing is more and more disentegrating putting Malawi into the fourth world status.While the joblessness is continuesly alarming and so violent crimes are prevalent.Malawians have had enough and enough is enough something solidified… Read more »
Please correct: 100 THOUSAND, not 100 MILLION mt
we are surely, cursed. can we not do anything, anything, right for a change?
The way things are happening in Malawi , we have no government in place. Dziko likuyenda without a pilot and is headed for a crush. There is no day that passes without hearing of corruption scandals and abuse of office with people in positions enriching them selves through dubious means while the populace is suffering .
Banana republic!!
Don’t be surprised may be they discovered that Malawians are able to scrutinise them hence they had to cancel this deal in a hurry to avoid more shame. The Malawian embassy wouldn’t have managed to get involved in this coz it was been done behind their knowledge. Zobvuta kwambiri
This is pure politics. DPP knows that the maize saga could easily easily take them out of the game. They (DPP) know that, the maize saga is like committing suicide, because it affects everyone including the majority, the less privileged (in villages) who vote in numbers. This is a political ploy to blindfold people – just to douse the already framing fires. All they have done now is to try to find someone (the three people in US) they can blame. This has all the footprints of corporate politics whereby the bosses try to find a scapegoat when things go… Read more »
It’s not 106 and 100 million tonnes it should be 106,000 and 100,000 metric tonnes. Malawi has never had more than 6 million tonnes in its entire existence.
kodi ndizofunika anthu kupita ku US, nde TRUMP abwera atiuze za ma immigrant kuti palibe Visa
wats the job of the whole bloody team in the embasssy- phwii?????
or them are also just pocketing millions in the form of parties , atsikana osamba ku US zina sindinena
no body will die with hunger in this country I assure YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mau a …………………….. amati akayankhula zinthu zimachitika. Bravo……………. Bravo Good news that we have more maize in Malawi despite two conservative dry season because of climate change. Thanks for a big Job maize is available @ a constant price.