The Tonse Alliance has come under fire from Malawians for failing to challenge the K755 million compensation which a court has awarded to a former civil servant.
According to a consent order which Malawi24 has seen, former principal Christopher Makileni has been awarded K755 million for wrongful dismissal which happened in 2014 during the Peter Mutharika administration.
Makileni has been awarded K216 million as pension, K205 million for loss of use of official motor vehicle, K270 million as salary before tax and K63 million as fuel allowance which he would have been using.
The Industrial Court consent order dated 4 August, 2020 was signed by Registrar of the court, lawyer for Makileni and Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe.
Commenting on social media, some Malawians said the compensation shows that the fight against a rotten system has not ended with the coming of the Tonse Alliance Government.
“Clearly the fight against the rotten system is not over. May be he should also have been compensated for loss of Use of a computer, loss of use of office chair, loss of use of pens, loss of use of printer, loss of office tea, loss of office biscuits, loss of secretary.. loss of officemates… loss of allowances, loss of overseas trips.. loss of anything that enables one to do their job.. What an utterly stupid system 700Million,” wrote Thandi Wa Pulimuheya on Facebook
Another Facebook user said: “205,000,000 for a car and 63 million for fuel! These are well learned fellows and those figures don’t make sense at all. White collar theft.”
Other social media users suspected that it is part of a scam and there are people in government who will benefit.
“Malawi has plenty of money to pay huge compensations to its elite workers! A rich country like Malawi can easily afford such payments as all its citizens are rich! Most likely some other friends of the Malawi elite also personally benefit from this verdicts,” said Hans Geluk.
Lord Denning SC said: “This bogus Consent Order, which stinks corruption, theft and money laundering, will eventually be botched. It will be set aside on grounds of misrepresentation and fraud. This money will be rescued. Trust me.”
Meanwhile, social commentator Onjezani Kenani has faulted Silungwe for failing to challenge the court lawsuit.
Kenani noted in a post on Facebook that a brand new Toyota TX costs MK80 million but Makileni has been awarded MK205 million as loss of use of an official vehicle plus MK63 million fuel allowance.
“Attorney-Generals should not think that people will be quiet if they facilitate scams disguised as consent orders,” said Kenani.
Tonse Alliance be serious. Malawians are watching you