Govt orders MBC staff on secondement to return: Vintulla, Shumba, Mwansambo
Tonse Alliance led government has directed Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) employees currently serving in various ministries and departments on secondment to return to the public broadcaster with immediate.
Notable names expected to go back to the public broadcaster include, Timpuza Mwansambo, Rejoice Chaponda Shumba, Charles Vintulla, Muhlabase Mughogho, Simeon Shumba and a Mr. Chikagwa
Nyasa Times understands that the communication has already been made to all the employees in question.
Mwansambo, who at some point served as Presidential Press Secretary for former president Peter Mutharika, was moved from MBC to the Ministry of Trade, where he is one of the Directors.
Vintulla is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Rejoice Chaponda Shumba is the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nhlabase Mughogho is at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as spokesperson and Simeon Shumba is at the Ministry of Agriculture.
Chikagwa, who was the Director of Engineering at MBC, was seconded to the Civil Aviation Department.
Ayam Mayeresa, who was the Personal Assistant to former Cabinet Minister Bright Msaka, returned to MBC after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost the country’s Presidency to the current administration, led by President Dr Lazarus Chakwera.
They all went to their respective ministries during the DPP regime.
However, some quarters feel the move is aimed at creating space for some individuals who supported the Tonse Alliance during campaign for the nullified May 21 2019 Presidential polls and June 23 Fresh Presidential poll.
It is believed that Cabinet Ministers were advised to hire Personal Assistants or spokespersons for the Ministries from Tonse Alliance media team.
For instance, some members of MCP Social media team, among them Gracian Lungu and Faith Mwafulirwa, have been incorporated in various ministries as PROs or PAs.
Lungu is at the Ministry of Agriculture as PRO, Mwafulirwa, former MBC reporter, is the PA for Nancy Tembo, Minister of Natural Resources whereas Cassim Awubi is at the Ministry of Industry as PA for Minister Roy Kachale Banda.
In 2016, former Secretary to the President and Cabinet (OPC), George Mkondiwa banned Ministries and Departments from hiring MBC employees on secondment.
According to Mkondiwa, ministries and departments were not refunding the money the Public broadcaster pays to the seconded staff as salaries.
“I would like to inform you that with immediate effect, secondment of MBC staff will be restricted to the Presidency and that all other ministries and departments should source such human resource needs from the market.
“In addition, MBC wage bill has continued to grow although a few of the staff are on the ground. Worse still, MBC has had problems to claim back salaries and benefits paid to seconded staff from Ministries and departments. This has, therefore, heavily impacted on the finances of the Corporation,” said Mkondiwa in a memo with reference number 20/03/17
Recently, MBC Director General Aubrey Sumbuleta admitted that ministries and departments owe the Corporation huge sums of money that have accumulated over the years.
Meanwhile, former president Mutharika’s press secretary Mgeme Kalirani returned to MBC.
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Why are MPs and ministers and politicians and religious people eg bishops being allowed to storm STD 8 examination rooms nilly willy? Is this in order? MANEB what kind of precedence are you setting?
welcome back Timpuza Mwansambo, we missed you and your talent big time
Mbawi mono achotsa the moles that infested various departments are in the scorching sun fervently searching for relief. The civil servants served in total fear due to this Orwellian big brother culture slotted in by all multiparty governments since 1994. Malawi is in Ngwatonse culture we hope this will thrive as seasons upon seasons pass by for centuries. The hood that covered your activities has been lifted off your faces Malawians were trembling each time you sneezed as you held their lives in your filthy diaries. May you live long on the fence you’re sitting to witness the honey flowing… Read more »
People might have whatever grudges with people on secondment but from my little knowledge they did not commit any crime. Remember the AG stopped the new government when it had nyere to start doing the same
Ku mbc uli gulu lofinika likapume. School or no school send them home.Kumbukani is royal now but esh!
Can we know why Mgeme Kalilani went back to MBC way before a letter of desecondment was written by the Chief Secretary. Mkulakwa kuti for the 3 or so months he has been at MBC before this letter of desecondment, he was a ghost worker and defrauding tax payers’ money???
His job at state House was an appointed post. As soon as his master was fired he had no job . Unamva chakwera akuchosa nduna za dop or kuziuza kuti zikabweze magalimoto a boma?
MCP nkhanza mudzasiya liti?
I find the last part where George Mkondiwa had written Controlling Officers against hiring MBC staff as more of the reason why they are being recalled. The mixing of stories including that Tonse Administration is seeking to bring in sympathizers is neither here nor there. I was decry lack of professionalism in many afield in Malawi including scribes.
Ntchito 1 million zatheka sure
Secondment of parastatal staff to ministries was usually deemed to be misdeployment and misuse of staff. For example, Timpunza Mwansambo was Director of what? I hope not Director of Finance, otherwise we may learn that some huge amounts of money are missing… Timpunza is no accountant, is he? ( plz note that this is just an example. I don’t know him)