President Lazarus Chakwera has fired Minister of Labour Ken Kandodo for using Covid-19 funds to accompany the president to South Africa.
Chakwera has announced the firing of Kandodo this evening during a national address on Covid-19 funds.
“I have dropped him from the Cabinet accordingly. Even though the Minister has since returned the money, his usage of the funds means that the money was unavailable for its intended purpose when it was needed most.
“I cannot have in my cabinet any individual who either spends money budgeted for one thing on something else, or do not ask tough questions to ensure that the money they are spending on something was budgeted for that purpose,” said Chakwera.
The abuse was revealed by the National Audit Office (NAO) investigative report which focused on the K6.2 billion Covid-19 funds.
According to the report, Kandodo’s ministry diverted K1.4 million Covid-19 funds towards the minister’s trip to South Africa.
Out of the payment, Kandodo received about K614,000 in allowances while Labour Commissioner HKK Nyaungulu got K829,000.
He is the highest ranking government official to lose their job following the release of the report. Kandodo is also the first minister Chakwera has fired since he became president last year.
