Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) officials at Chilumba depot in Karonga are being accused of demanding additional money from beneficiaries looking to access the inputs.
A number of the beneficiaries who talked with this publication on a condition of anonymity alleged that each beneficiary is being told to pay K7000 or K5000 after negotiation in order to purchase the Inputs.
They alleged that after collecting beneficiaries’ national identity cards, the officers only sell the products to those who managed to pay the bribe.
According to the beneficiaries, those who fail to pay the extra money usually go home without accessing the Inputs.
“This is like a must here. Even if the depot has enough AIP products, some beneficiaries are going back empty despite coming in the wee hours or have cash to buy fertilizer or seeds,” they alleged.
“On whether they lodged their complaints to authorities, they responded: “We only informed our MP.”
MP for the area, Uchizi Mkandawire, who is also Minister of Youths and Sports, while accepting to have received such reports, said he referred the matter to the police.
Chilumba Police Officer In Charge, Mrs Bahati Kwenda said she immediately deployed officers on the ground after being tipped by the MP.
“Police found beneficiaries in different groups when they reached the selling point. The officers advised them not to give extra money in order to access the inputs and the beneficiaries were very happy. Officers also advised the AIP officials not to demand extra money from beneficiaries,” she said.
Kwenda then asked those who paid extra money to report to her office with evidence.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) principal public relations officer, Egrita Ndala said police are responsible for such “criminal” matters and urged beneficiaries to report such issues to their nearest police.
on his part, Chilumba AIP depot senior official, Covax Mkumbwa, while accepting to have heard such complaints, failed to mention the steps his office has taken to deal with such issues.
A senior official within the depot who talked with this publication on a condition of anonymity questioned Mkumbwa’s response on this issue.
“It’s like he doesn’t care and has someone senior to protect,” said the official.
Meanwhile, social commentator, Jackson Msiska has questioned the way the police are handling the case.
Through his organization, Msiska said he will conduct further investigation and pen ACB as well as the office of the Ombudsman to take a legal action against the suspect (s).
