Lazarus Chakwera wants quick action on K577bn fraud

Leader of Opposition, Lazarus Chakwera, has urged the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) to act on people suspected to be involved in K577 billion fraud that took place between 2009 and December 2014.

The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader made the remarks on Sunday at a political rally which took place at Thavite in Salima.

“If you have followed what some Members of Parliament have been demanding, the report has been sent to Parliament and now we will require Public Accounts Committee (Pac) to look at it. If they need to subpoena some people in order to get a full account of what happened, they have to. We need to get to the bottom of this,” Chakwera said.

He added: “Should it be established that, that there are actually files given to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, then we want to demand that not only should the bureau act on this fast, but those implicated, should step aside and let full investigations to happen.”

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was in power from 2009 to April 2012 while People’s Party (PP) was in power between April 2012 and May, 2014. DPP was back in power in May 2014.

“People should not be stealing government’s money. We have to use the money we borrow appropriately. It is sad that government borrowed money for tractors but we sold the tractors to each other yet our grandchildren are going to pay the loans. We have to be patriotic,” Chakwera said.

During the rally, Chakwera also addressed the issue of divisions rocking the Malawi Congress party (MCP). He said the divisions are not helping the party. He, however, said he has enough experience to handle the situation.

“There is always trouble in any organisation. It is what you do with it that matters. I haven’t been distracted. I’m not going to be distracted. I am appealing to everybody to move together. I have been in leadership for many decades. I have faced all manner of trouble and problems. By God’s grace we can overcome and we will,” he said.

Salima has been a district at the centre of recent court battles in the party, with its district chairman, Langizani Mapulesi one of the people fighting against changes Chakwera made to the party’s National Executive Committee (Nec) last year.