The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has expressed regret and apologized for accepting a K145 million donation from Pioneer Foods in 2017.
According to a statement released by the DPP, signed by its Spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba, the party has resolved a court case which was commenced by Youth and Society (YAS) against DPP and two other individuals as the DPP was asked to refund a sum MK145 million which the party received from Pioneer Foods as a donation.
“DPP wishes to disassociate itself and its leadership from dealings by Pioneer Foods and hereby expresses regret for accepting the donation from Pioneer Foods and the subsequent error of judgement in swiftly refunding the money to Pioneer Foods,” says the DPP.
The statement further says that YAS claimed that the money was part of a payment which Pioneer Foods had received from public resources under circumstances of breach of fiduciary duties committed by a senior officer at the Malawi Police Service (MPS).
“After being aware of the above allegations, the DPP refunded the said sum of MK145 million to Pioneer Foods. Its willingness to refund the said money to Pioneer Foods, was out of regret for receiving money which was tainted with these serious allegations,” says the statement.
DPP has also highlighted that YAS insisted that the DPP should pay the said sum of money to the government and treasury.
“The DPP is a law-abiding political party whose core values are guided by the three pillars of Patriotism, Hard work and Integrity as stipulated in article 5(1) (vii) of the DPP constitution which clearly spells out one of its principles and guidelines as combating and eradicating corruption, mismanagement and misuse of public resources and instituting effective management of our government in its institutions and the economy,” says the DPP.
The party has since promised the public that it remains committed to manage the Malawi economy and public resources.
In 2018, an Anti-Corruption Bureau dossier showed that businessman Zameer Karim of Pioneer Investment sent K145 million to a DPP account whose sole signatory was President Peter Mutharika.
Karim sent the K145 million to DPP shortly after getting payment for the K2.7 billion food rations contract which he allegedly used to defraud government of K466 million.
