Storm at M’mbelwa council petition alleges land grab, missing money at Mzimba’s old OPD

A serious issue is emerging at M’mbelwa District Council after a petition raised concerns about how a public health building is being used.

Civil society groups say there may be an attempt to turn a public facility into a private business, raising questions about the management of public land and funds.

The petition, written by the Mzimba Youth Organization (MYO) and seen by Malawi24, highlights problems at the Old Out-Patient Department (OPD) building at Mzimba Boma, which previously served the public as a health facility.

According to MYO, some senior officers in the council’s Physical Planning and Lands Office are accused of allocating the land to certain individuals without following proper procedures.

The group says the land is still designated for public use but was distributed without informing the public or adhering to legal requirements.

MYO believes this was not just a mistake, but a misuse of power.

The organization’s Executive Director, Moses Nkhana, said the issue reflects a broader problem in how public property is managed.

He noted that rules meant to protect public assets are often ignored.The petition also claims that individuals who took over the building made alterations without obtaining approval.

This changed the purpose of the facility while authorities failed to take action.There are also serious concerns about financial management.

MYO alleges that rent collected from people using the building was not deposited into official government accounts.

Instead, the money is believed to have been diverted to personal bank accounts and mobile money wallets.

If true, this would violate financial laws and could result in criminal charges.

The petition suggests that several laws may have been breached, including those governing land use, public finance, and corruption.

It also alleges that some private individuals may have knowingly participated in an illegal arrangement.Beyond these claims, the petition points to deeper systemic issues within the council.

These include weak supervision, prolonged tenure of officers in the same positions, and a culture in which wrongdoing goes unpunished.MYO is now calling for urgent action.

It is demanding that the land allocations be cancelled, the occupants removed, and any misappropriated funds recovered.

The group also wants the officers involved to be suspended.In addition, MYO has asked the Anti- Corruption Bureau to conduct a full investigation, including auditing financial records and freezing any accounts suspected of receiving the funds.

The Mzimba Lands Network MDLN chairperson Teckson Amadu has also supported the petition saying it high time officers should be work according to terms of reference -TOR of their job.

The group has warned that it may pursue legal action or organize protests if no action is taken.

Currently the M’mbelwa District council officials says they will comment when they see the content in of the petition.