National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) board of directors has removed Helen Buluma as acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following President Lazarus Chakwera’s concerns that she is an operative of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Presidential press secretary Brian Banda has told the local media that Buluma is no longer acting head of the parastatal and she has been told about the decision by the board.
Banda added that President Chakwera has also been informed that his wish has been granted by the board.
NOCMA CEO Gift Dulla was arrested in September this year for alleged abuse of office and the NOCMA board later suspended him. Buluma whose original post is deputy CEO was then appointed by the board to be acting CEO.
But Chakwera during a national address at Kamuzu Palace on November 5, protested against the appointment of Buluma whom he described as a DPP operative.
The Malawi leader said Malawians also shared similar concerns which he said are not without merit.
He then directed the Secretary to the President and Cabinet, who chairs the board of NOCMA, to remove Buluma within two weeks.
Buluma was appointed NOCMA deputy CEO earlier this year during the DPP administration.
In 2019, she stood on a DPP ticket in Nsanje South West parliamentary elections where she lost.
