President Peter Mutharika’s inaction following the release of findings on the maizegate scandal will dent his reputation, a political analyst has observed.
Mutharika on Friday – a day before receiving a report from a commission of inquiry he set up to probe the procurement process of maize from Zambia – made mention he felt the process of procuring maize was clean.
The president made the remarks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion and rehabilitation of Kamuzu International Airport in the outskirts of the capital Lilongwe on Friday.
He said the inquiry which he instituted together with the other one which the parliamentary committee undertook was a waste of time and resources as there was no corruption in the maize deal.
But the report by the commission of inquiry among other notable things asks the Mutharika led government to institute a probe into Minister of Agriculture Dr. George Chaponda whose dealings the inquiry dubs as ‘suspicious’.
The inquiry notes that the Minister had at some point operated in his personal capacity in several instances which collided with decisions made by Admarc as regards to the purchase of maize from Zambia.
It also says Chaponda had dealings with Transglobe at several meetings from which the commission says foul play cannot be ruled out.
But the remarks made by Mutharika are a sign the president is not ready to probe Chaponda, argues political scientist Wonderful Mkhutche.
‘’The Maizegate issue is political, and it involves one of the most trusted and loyal DPP member, Dr. George Chaponda. Bearing this in mind, the President did not institute the commission of inquiry out of personal conviction that the issue must be dealt with. He cannot betray Dr, Chaponda. The inquiry was done out of pressure and in order for the president to save his face. He failed to balance what needs to be done and protecting a party member,” Mkhutche said in an interview with Malawi24 on Monday.
According to Mkhutche, by calling the inquiry a wastage of resources, the president contradicts the idea of having it in the first place. It simply tells that the actions to follow will not be based on its findings, but on other political calculations and loyalties.
When asked what it would mean if the president does not make it up on the recommendations the report suggested, Mkhutche says Mutharika’s reputation could be dented arguing he needs to suspend or fire Chaponda.
In a separate interview political analyst Laudon Malingamoyo Phiri argued that Mutharika’s remarks could entail he deliberately chose to waste taxpayers’ money because it is his office that instituted the commission in the first place.
‘’He (Mutharika) is putting him in the same shoes because he chose the commission,’’ he said in an interview with this reporter.
Malingamoyo Phiri said the only way the president may not be feared to be part of the deals is to give a nod to investigate Chaponda.
“There was a foul play in the whole transaction. Surely, the best the president would do is to let justice take its course if he were serious about ridding the country of corruption and thievery. The best thing the minister would do was to resign and rebuild confidence of Malawians. One of the challenges we have with many politicians in the Republic is they don’t want to accept their weaknesses,” said Phiri.
This comes hot on the heels of calls made for Mutharika to fire or suspend the minister who has since claimed he was only involved in the policy guidelines part of the deals.
The deal involved up to K26 billion which Admarc admitted weeks ago to have borrowed from the PTA bank.
A recently sought injunction depriving the Minister of his duties was vacated last Friday in Blantyre.
He is not sleeping, he is big smuggler,mwana akamaba ndiwo amakhala kuti wa wona wankulu akutsegula poto nthawi yolakwika, mbala
We sick and tired for you guys
nmadana ndi bushiri mkumat ndi fiti nanga chaponda ndi munthalika yi ndiayani?
Malawian we are like dogs, a dog born to burke not bite, what we know is just talk no actions do you think these arrogant politician foreigners can change?
Kawiri basi eee koma zinali boo
A leader must be a God fearing man then the Country will prosper! If a leader has been chosen by the Heavenly Father Hates #Corruption, #Oppression and whatever is against the Ten Commandments. Some leaders claim to be Christians but are #Not; We see what they do & we don’t believe what they say b’coz they are full of #Mlachozi!(Lies). Malawi is a rich country on it’s own but leaders make it poor. Please leaders try to Follow and practice the Holy Scriptures then you will be successful! I did not mention someone’s name(The JC Ambassador)
Mutharika is enjoyin last kicks of a dying horse
Asleeping cat never catches arat
Whether illuminati or not 2019 u fuck up, mwatikwana
Yes
I blame former president called Muluzi for letting us know this mutharika’s family and he must apologise,anthunu lero anthu olemela salakwa yi mukazamva a court akugamula mulandu uku akunena kuti anthu ena atengelepo mphunziro muziwe kuti olakwayo akumnamizila kapena ndi osauka,koma pitala ,chaponda samalakwa let me just remind them co reminding is most beneficial to a believe not non,mwakhalapo pali ena ake komanso panalinso ena mwachidule zosiyilana onongani mmene muthele koma simungapange dziko lanulanu My living God have de mercy
OF the the same Feathers. Loyatsila office, which was built to serve poor Malawian mwalikwanitsa. Poor Malawian adzalikwanitsanso lanu lochokela pa mipandapo. Tick Tock.!!
Nkumalawi kuno amwene come 2019 anthu adzavotera chomwechi.
Kamalawi
Apm assents to the ATI Bill..Bravo Mr President
Fucken malawi otembeleledwa iwe wangosiya azibale pa uphawi ,kuno okalamba ,amasiye,ana olekeza zaka 18, osakwatira osagwira job ,amalandira ndalama pa mwezi misokho yao kuiva kukoma koma iwe nyasa wangonyasa ndi asogoleri omwe includinng#CHAPONDA
Big fish
Him, has lost it all
Ma lawyer ndiomwe akuononga dzikoli.
A case for a poorman takes only a week for them to bring a judgement, the same case for a richman takes three years then amazangousiya anthu nkuiwalako zikatero basi zatha
Let’m Stew In His Own Juice!!! He’s Been Warned Adequately- Irredeemable!!!
Look at zambian currency now,shame on u rulers, yet u says its GOD fearing nation. betraying those who voted for u.
He slept for close to 1 year when he was Minister of Education the time CHANCO Was on Strike.What did we Malawians do
my friend l don’t know how to thank you good taking, as Malawian we always sleep
Easy, ife Tizamuvoterabe. Inu zavotereni Lazaro. Simple issue
Send aninja to catch a ninja….rather birds of the same feathers flock together
It was already dented before that
He knws the story
Ubwino wake they are advertising their ignorance tizaonana pa zisakho
Chimphanga I told you long time dat dis ppl dey just want to be rich I hate munthalika’s family
This is shit game son of bitch
This pastor is not sleeping bt he knows something about this issue Peter is one who shoot the cross and Chapondà is one who scored mbitee
Kkkkkkkkk!!
Dats wy I hate politics coz all dis ppl are de same
bird with a same fiva flow together
Akudziwana awaaa
He doesn’t have any reputation
Anthu Awa ndiamodzi
Ochaponda okazinga chimanga chija dzulo
I hate this so called president!
Akudziwana,Chaponda sadabe yekha ndalamazo Ayi,pali chain,pakufunika onse amangidwe basi.ndalama zimenezi zibwezedwe pano adakweza mtengo wà chimanga ku ADMARC cholinga amphawi achite cover ndalama adabazo,chilungamo chimenechi alipo amene amawatulutsila ndalama zimenexi,mzimayi so amene anakaona socket ikufuka moto yo afufuzidwe NDA mene anamutuma ameneyo kuyatsa moto umenewo.kulakwa Mulungu kugwetsa mvula ayambe kumunamizira kuti ching’anipa ndie chayatsa moto,kusewera naye Mulungu eti,akuyatsanidi muone.
@Judith you have spoken. And it’s true there was NO lighting that time!! Kupanga Phada ndi Mulungu?
Zikomo kwambiii……..,wa denta kale.
sayenda awiri asanapangane
dis gentleman has failled here on earth as well as heaven.
He don’t have balls to fire or discipline Chaponda becoz. Chaponda is the President of Malawi not Muthalika. Muthalika takes orders from Chaponda.
zayambika liti
Yes it’s true. Why should a whole polofesa pulezidenti fail to fire a Thief minister? This thief is ruling behind Scenes!! Fokofu zanu!
https://free.facebook.com/drchaponda/?v=feed&_rdr
They’re all the same, he even know much more than the public
already dented
The reason is clear
Even a soccer analyst observed it too lol
CZ of arrogant selfishness and greedy and he will regret to loose greencard and apapa no way! Amuyatsila likulu akuona mmaso ngweeee