DPP politicians in malata-cement scandal

Phalombe district Decent and Affordable Housing Subsidy Programme (DAHSP) desk officer Fackson Chidzalo has accused ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians of supplying substandard materials for the programme.

Chidzalo revealed in an exclusive interview with Malawi24 that some suppliers who are DPP gurus are supplying substandard materials that are not worth the quoted price.

Chidzalo said his office sent back materials which were being supplied by a certain Member of Parliament (MP) for the ruling party whom he refused to disclose.

“There is a certain MP who supplied substandard roofing poles, we sent him back,” said Chidzalo while referring Malawi24 to the Ministry to get the name of the supplier.

In a related development, reports suggest that Chidzalo’s office has reinstated a supplier whom DAHSP beneficiaries accused of supplying substandard materials such as doors.

It is reported that this said supplier has been retaken on board after he threatened those handling matters concerning DAHSP in the district that he would reveal all the fishy things they have been doing.

One of the beneficiaries told Malawi24 that he was supplied with a door worth Mk20,000 but it is made of Malaina timber which cannot even cost quarter of said price on the market.

Meanwhile, some contractors who built houses for  beneficiaries in March 2016 are yet to paid their money despite Malawi government giving the DAHSP office in the district all the money for that phase.

Some two contractors who opted for anonymity told this publication in the district that whenever they ask the Desk Officer for the DAHSP about their money he tells them he cannot go to bank only to withdraw money for the two.

“We have been coming here asking for our money for several times since last year but whenever we ask about our money he says that he uses Mk100,000 to travel to get the money so he can’t go just because of us,” said one contractor.

When quizzed to comment on the matter, Chidzalo admitted that this is really true despite receiving the money from President Peter Mutharika’s led administration which came up with this DAHSP initiative.

Cement- Malata subsidy program is one of the things which DPP government had put in its manifesto during 2014 tripartite elections campaign. Beneficiaries are expected to pay back money for the materials which they received.