A non-governmental organisation has warned the Daud Suleman led Kokoliliko Holdings against using its connections to the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to monopolise government businesses and engage in corruption.
Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) issued the warning following the announcement about the establishment of Kokoliliko Holdings.
Kokoliko was formed as an MCP youth group and it campaigned for the party and the Tonse Alliance ahead of the 2020 elections.
Following Dr Lazarus Chakwera and the alliance’s victory in the elections, Kokoliliko has formed Kokoliliko Holdings and according to one of the founders Daud Suleman, the company plans to take an active role in the Tonse Agenda.
Suleman, who was Chakwera’s witness in the elections case, said the company has embarked on plans to venture into agriculture, telecommunications, media, hospitality and security sectors.
CDEDI through its executive director Sylvester Namiwa has since warned Suleman and the company against being used to siphon public funds from the treasury to the party’s coffers.
“Memories are still fresh of political parties from the previous regimes which used individuals and phony private companies for purposes of defrauding government of huge sums of money to fund party activities. Such companies and individuals dominated and monopolized government businesses and tenders since they had the backing of the top officials from the ruling party. We do not want to believe that Kokoliko Holdings will even attempt to take the same route,” said Namiwa in a letter to Suleman dated August 31.
According to Namiwa, CDEDI will not blink in tracking all the Kokoliko transactions with the quest of eradicating corruption, fraud and abuse of power by those in various positions in government.
Namiwa then expressed hope that Kokoliko Holdings will transact business in a very transparent and competitive manner, just like any other private company in the country.
