Ombudsman Grace Malera says National Oil Company (NOCMA) deputy chief executive officer Helen Buluma’s contract should be terminated immediately because Buluma was appointed without following procedures in 2019 by the then President Peter Mutharika.
Malera has announced the determination today following investigation into allegations of irregular and unprocedural appointment of Buluma.
Buluma who contested as a DPP candidate in the 2019 parliamentary elections in Nsanje South West was appointed NOCMA by Mutharika following the elections.
Since end 2020, NOCMA has had no CEO and Buluma has been effectively working as the government-owned company’s acting chief executive officer.
According to Malera, her office received several complaints relating to the recruitment of Buluma.
Malera said her office interviewed Buluma in its investigations into the matter and Buluma admitted that her position was not advertised and that she never applied for the job or submitted a CV in order to be considered.
She also confirmed that she contested for a political position and that she was member of National Governing Council of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
According to Malera, investigations into the matter have established that former president Mutharika, who is also leader for the DPP, made a directive to appoint as deputy CEO of NOCMA.
She said this was unprocedural since it was the board of NOCMA which was supposed to advertise a vacancy and make the necessary appointment after conducting interviews.
She added that at the time Buluma was being appointed, NOCMA had no position of deputy CEO in its organogram.
Malera then directed the board of NOCMA to terminate Buluma’s contract and that any contract extension offered to Buluma should be annulled.
She added that Buluma should not receive any benefits from the time served as NOCMA deputy CEO and her appointment should be treated as if it never happened.
“Buluma should not be allowed to benefit from an illegality,” said Malera.
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Ndi choncho munthu wina wa nzeru zake ndithu aziti ndizavotelanso APM / DPP, zautsiru……
Kwawo gule kwawo gule! Mzimu wa mbuye wako unali kukulondola iwe Buluma.