Malawi is once again facing serious questions regarding financial accountability and governance, following shocking revelations in the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The report highlighted numerous failed and fictitious development projects, raising concerns over financial mismanagement, corruption, and incompetence within key government institutions.
At the centre of the controversy is Mafuta Mwale, the current Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and former Secretary to the Treasury.
His tenure at the Treasury coincided with a period of massive financial irregularities, including the approval of payments for fraudulent projects and the infamous fertilizer procurement scandals that saw billions of kwacha lost. Today, as he leads the country’s monetary system, Malawians are left wondering:
Can Mafuta Mwale be trusted to safeguard Malawi’s Economy?
The Concerned Citizens, led by Comrade Edwards Kambanje, argue that Mwale’s record raises serious doubts about his ability to manage the country’s financial institutions.
His alleged role in approving payments for failed projects has weakened public confidence in his leadership at RBM. If he could not ensure transparency and accountability at the Treasury, how can he now be trusted with monetary policy and foreign reserves?
The group is demanding a parliamentary inquiry or an independent investigation into Dr Mwale’s actions. If he is found guilty of financial mismanagement, he must resign immediately.
Beyond Mwale, who else is responsible?
While the ultimate responsibility lies with the President, the Concerned Citizens argue that multiple government institutions must answer for their role in these failed projects.
Ministry of Finance, Secretary to the Treasury
The current Secretary to the Treasury must explain how these fraudulent payments were made and outline plans to recover lost public funds.
Ministries of Transport and Health
These ministries oversaw many of the failed projects. The President must dismiss the responsible ministers for their failure to deliver.
District Commissioners (DCs)
Under Malawi’s decentralization policy, DCs play a key role in overseeing local development projects. Every DC must account for the projects under their jurisdiction and be held responsible for any mismanagement.
Who were the contractors?
The Concerned Citizens are calling for full transparency regarding the contractors awarded these projects. They demand:
A complete list of all contractors involved.
A public explanation of how these companies were selected.
An investigation into whether procurement laws were followed.
If any contractor receives payments for incomplete work, they must refund the money or face legal action.
*Exposing the lies: A national inspection tour*
To separate truth from propaganda, the Concerned Citizens will conduct a nationwide inspection of these projects. They will collect evidence through photographs, testimonies, and official reports, all of which will be published for public scrutiny.
This district-by-district tour aims to expose any misrepresentations made in the State of the Nation Address and hold the government accountable to the people.
*What if the President lied? Legal consequences*
If it is proven that the President knowingly misled the nation regarding these projects, he could face serious legal consequences, including:
Breach of Oath of Office – A President must serve honestly; misleading the public violates this oath.
Abuse of Power – If the deception was intentional, it could be classified as a misuse of executive authority.
Perjury – If the false claims were made under oath, the President could be criminally liable.
Fraud – If the deception was used to cover up corruption, it could constitute fraud.
Loss of Public Trust – Lying to citizens damages the credibility of the government.
Impeachment – In democratic nations, lying to the public is an impeachable offence.
International Sanctions – If donor funds were misused, Malawi could face sanctions or loss of international aid.
*Demands for action*
The Concerned Citizens are calling for the following immediate actions from the government:
1) Parliament must summon Mafuta Mwale to answer for his role in these failed projects.
2) The Secretary to the Treasury must issue a public statement explaining these payments.
3) Ministers of Health and Transport must be dismissed for failing to implement the projects.
4) District Commissioners must be investigated for mismanagement.
5) An independent investigation must be launched to uncover the full extent of the scandal.
Failure to act will lead to nationwide protests and vigils until justice is served.
Final word: A call for transparency, accountability
Malawians cannot afford to remain silent while public resources are mismanaged. The time for accountability is now. If government officials are not held responsible for their failures and corruption, the country’s economic future is at risk.
The Concerned Citizens have made it clear: Malawi deserves responsible leadership—and they are prepared to fight for it.
