Lungu advised to set up inquiry on maize scam

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 13:07:32 +0000

AN OPPOSITION leader has called on President Edgar Lungu to institute a committee of inquiry into the maizegate scandal involving Zambia and Malawi.

United Progressive Party (UPP) president Saviour Chishimba said there was need for punitive measures to be taken against those involved in the corrupt deal so that Zambians and the international community do not conclude that President Lungu had endorsed the illegality.

Dr. Chishimba said he was happy that the Malawian media, church and civil society organisations, including foreign missions accredited to Malawi, are fighting  for action from government and that their efforts have yielded positive results.

“The magnitude of the corruption in this transaction begs for action from President Lungu himself. He must coordinate with his Malawian counterpart, failure to which it would appear to us that he has endorsed corruption as a way of running public affairs.

“(It is sad that) the corruption on maize exports is happening at the time that hunger is looming in Zambia due to the outbreak of army worms, delayed supply of inputs to farmers and delayed payments to some farmers for the last farming season,” Dr. Chishimba said.

He noted that the huge profits from the exportation of maize show that it was the corrupt government officials who were benefiting on the sweat and blood of peasant farmers adding that decisive action must be taken in order to end the rot.

Four days ago, President Mutharika appointed a commission of inquiry into the procurement of 100,000 metric tonnes of maize from Zambia involving MK26 billion (Malawian Kwacha).

Malawi’s chief secretary to government, Lloyd Muhara, said President Mutharika established the inquiry in accordance with the inquiries Act Section 2 (1) and the constitution in section 89 (1) (g).

Mr. Muhara said the inquiry will work on “matters surrounding the procurement of maize” by state grain trader Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) from Zambia.

According to Mr. Muhara, the commission of inquiry, which was instituted on New Year’s Day, will start work immediately and has been tasked to submit its report to the president by January 31, 2017.

Meanwhile, Malawi’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has further urged President Mutharika to suspend ADMARC chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe and Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda to create a conducive environment for investigations.

PAC chairperson Alekeni Menyani said if the commission of inquiry work was to be credible, Mr. Mulumbe and Mr. Chaponda should be relieved of their duties.