Nawena gives Malawi lawmakers a wake-up call on Paladin’s Kayelekera mine: ‘Son to VVIP has been bribed’

Controversial and outspoken Thyolo Thava parliamentarian Lifred Nawena has blasted fellow Members of Parliament particularly those from the ruling People’s Party (PP) for keeping their mouths shut while in real sense they are aware of the “evil deeds” happening at the  Kayelekera uranium mine in Karonga which is fully managed by Paladin Africa.

Nawena said this on Wednesday in the National Assembly while commenting on the shortfalls of the Joyce Banda administration.

The lawmaker  took advantage of the lobby campaign the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) had with the MP’s to empty his chest by making strong allegations that a child of one of the top government official has pocketed over K40 Million bribe from the managers of Kayelekera as one way of gaining favours from the government.

He said an account was opened where the money was deposited to by Paladin officials recently.

Nawena challenged that he has all the evidence and that he got the information from one of the commercial banks that a child of the most senior government official opened an account few days ago where the following day they said amount was deposited.

Nawena further reminded the MP’s about what was happening in the previous administration of late Bingu wa Mutharika where by money was also allegedly deposited in his Australian bank account.

“It is high time Malawians resurrect from sleep…we are sleeping two much,  yesterday it was Bingu (pocketing the money) through his Australia account and now Bingu is no more where is the money going?” queried Nawena.

He therefore reminded Malawians about who is supposed to benefit from Kayelekera project

“Kayelekera is supposed to be a national asset but it is benefiting only few individuals. Just imagine over K40 million into a son’s account,” mourned Nawena.

The name of the son he was referring to was withheld.

“MP’s let us work up we just sit there (parliament) waiting for our allowances which are poor also. If you want to hear more on what am saying about Kayelekera ask them (ministers),” said Nawena pointing a finger at Ibrahim Matola, deputy minister.

He therefore called upon all Malawians in general to generate a lot more interest on what is happening at Kayelekera.

“Why are we not interested in Kayelekera? Kayelekera could easily change the picture of our nation but we are not interested,” he said.

Contract review

Meanwhile, the Thyolo Thava MP has asked the government to review the contractual agreement which Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government signed with Paladin on Kayelekera since he said the country is not benefiting.

“When you go into a contract and you see that it is not beneficial you revisit not what the people of Paladin are saying in refusing to review the contract,” he said.

“There is this foolish white man (name withheld) who says the contract cannot be changed. Who told him a contract made cannot be revised,” wondered Nawena.

Kayelekera Uranium Mining site is located in the northern part of Malawi 52KM west of the provincial town of Karonga.

A mining Licence covering 5,550 hectares was granted in April 2007 for a period of 15 years following the completion of the agreement with Malawi government.

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