Shocking allegations suggest that Malawi’s Attorney General is raking in billions in dirty cash from shady Dubai investors! The crooked deals linked to the administration of President Lazarus Chakwera have rocked the nation’s political landscape, with whispers of corruption at the highest levels!
According to documents obtained by the Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ), Nyirenda single-handedly sourced a private company to produce a legal opinion for Mkango Resources Limited, a mining company seeking a concession in Malawi.
This was revealed when Mkango officials disclosed during talks with the Government Negotiating Unit in the presence of the Deputy Chief Secretary to the Government Janet Banda, who also heads the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), and Solicitor General and Secretary to Justice, Allison M’bang’ombe, that the company was asked to pay $180 000 dollars but only shown a receipt for $100 000 with $80 000 (some 138 million kwacha) presumed missing.
When the Solicitor General asked the AG for an update on the matter, the AG reportedly, allegedly, informed the Solicitor General that the $ 80,000 was paid to a local firm that supported the operations of the international firm that was hired.
However, M’bang’ombe, confirmed in a written response to PIJ that his office was never informed about the procurement of the lawyers. “As Solicitor General, I was not aware, but it may be because I had not yet joined the negotiating team; I learned about this later,” said M’bang’ombe.
While admitting the Ministry of Justice’s Internal Procurement Committee and the Solicitor General (who is also the Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Justice) were not involved in the procurement, Nyirenda denied wrongdoing, saying the law firms that were eventually hired were already on the preselected vendor list of the Ministry of Justice which is approved by the PPDA.
“No payments came to me,” he said in an interview, “I can confirm that a London law firm was engaged to advise on the MDA at no cost to the Malawi Government. All Legal processes were complied with. Thank you,” Nyirenda responded to PIJ.
Chakwera’s Administration Under Fire Amid Corruption Allegations!
The development comes as negotiations continue between Malawi Government and Mkango over a Mining Development Agreement that would allow Mkango to conduct the Songwe Hill rare earth project–a mining project in Phalombe where deposits of rare earth, uranium, tantalum, niobium, rutile, nickel, and cobalt–some of the precious mineral wealth were discovered.
The explosive allegations involving British company Mkango have emerged a few days after what social commentators believe are shady dealings with President Chakwera’s administration and some tycoons from Dubai! Sources claim these investors were granted licenses under highly suspicious circumstances. While it remains unclear how deeply Attorney General Chakaka Nyirenda is involved, rumors of hefty kickbacks, secret deals, and all-expenses-paid trips to the United Arab Emirates are swirling, with accusations of corruption reaching fever pitch.
The question on everyone’s lips: Is the British government involved in the shady deal between Mkango and Malawi? While the truth remains murky, it’s unclear whether the UK was aware or even played a part in orchestrating this controversial arrangement between the company and the Malawi government. As the scandal deepens, suspicions grow about how far the corruption truly goes between the three countries and officials from the three governments.
