A social commentator Onjezani Kenani has criticised Khato Civils, an engineering firm awarded a contract for the Salima-Lilongwe water project, for disrespecting the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Writing on his Facebook page, the analyst Onjezani Kenani said Khato Civils is intervening in ACB affairs which can paralyse the functioning of the anti-corruption body.
“Dear Khato Civils, take your hands off the Anti-Corruption Bureau. You cannot claim that you will cooperate with the ACB while at the same time you say those in the ACB probing the Salima Project are “rogue, lone elements”.
“I am disgusted by your disrespect for our governance institutions. There are legitimate questions over that project for which answers must be sought. If you indeed respect the ACB, you must respect it without disrespecting and disparaging officers who are only doing their job,” Kenani said.
He also expressed worry that the engineering company seem to have internal information about ACB, something which he said can be a threat to ACB workers.
According Kenani , despite interferences, some ACB officers are patriotic Malawians who are doing their work professionally.
“It is also worrisome that you seem to have inside information of the ACB, which could affect the security and safety of individual officers. Who told you about those “rogue, lone elements”? Leave the ACB alone.”
“In fact, you should be proud that there are sons and daughters of Malawi out there who are ready to do their job without fear or favour,” Kenani said.
Khato will build infrastructure that will enable Malawi to tap water from Lake Malawi in Salima to Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.
The company has already invested US$13 million in the project.
The bureau revealed this week that it received a complaint regarding the Salima-Lilongwe water project contract awarded to Khato Civils and it will investigate the matter.
