Former finance minister in the Joyce Banda administration, Ken Lipenga has spoken out strongly on businessman Leston Mulli’s legal win against a government moratorium that blocked state institutions from trading with companies linked to the Mulli name.
The court decision, delivered two weeks ago, brought to an end a long legal fight that challenged a directive issued by former constitutional affairs minister and attorney general the late Ralph Kasamba, which had barred government agencies from engaging Mulli-linked firms.
The ruling found fault with the directive, with the court describing it as driven by malice and therefore unlawful, effectively reopening doors for Mulli’s businesses to operate with government and financial partners.
The fallout from the ban had been severe, with reports indicating that Afreximbank withdrew a 30 million US dollar facility that had been earmarked for CELOCOM, a mobile phone venture under Mulli’s business portfolio.
In a Facebook post, Lipenga traced Mulli’s rise from humble beginnings, describing how he once moved through rural trading routes including Nyezerera, Chiringa and Limbuli, selling farm produce before building a large business empire.
He argued that the case reflects the need for Malawi to strengthen local enterprise and reduce overdependence on external support, warning that economic resilience must be built at home through investment and job creation.
“The times we are living in have reinforced an important lesson. The reduction of foreign aid, together with the violence, expulsions, and hardship experienced by Malawian migrant workers in South Africa, has reminded us that our long-term prosperity cannot depend primarily on the goodwill of others or on opportunities beyond our borders. It must also be built by those who invest, innovate, and create jobs here at home.” said Lipenga.
Former trade minister in the Bingu wa Mutharika era, Eunice Kazembe also weighed in, praising Mulli for what she described as his continued contribution to the national economy.
Today, Mulli’s MBL Holdings operates more than 23 companies, remaining one of the country’s notable private sector players, with the court ruling now restoring a major legal and business victory after years of uncertainty.
