Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has fired his Advisor on Strategy and Manifesto Implementation Chris Chaima-Banda following his arrest by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) over a fuel supply contract at the state owned National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA).
“His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, has relieved Mr Chris Chaima-Banda of his position as Chief Advisor to the President on Strategy and Manifesto Implementation.
“The termination of Mr Chaima-Banda’s services is with immediate effect,” reads a statement from Mr Sean Kampondeni, Communications Director at State House. President Chakwera recently appointed Chaima-Banda as Ambassador to Brazil and it has not been disclosed if the appointment has been withdrawn.
Chaima Banda was arrested alongside AFORD President Enock Chihana and Energy Minister Newton Kambala appeared in the Magistrate Court today where they have been formally charged under the Corrupt Practices Act.
Kambala was fired by President Chakwera earlier this afternoon. The trio have pleaded not guilty and released on bail for conspiring to influence a public officer to abuse public office by prioritising three companies in the fuel importation tender late last year.
The public officer is Acting Chief Executive Officer Hellen Buluma who raised the alarm to ACB. The three firms are Orxy, Finegy and Trafigura. Sources at State House say that President Chakwera is to reprimand and disassociate Chihana from Tonse Alliance.
Enock is the son of late Dr Chakufwa Chihana who fought for multi-party introduction accusing the then President Kamuzu Banda of corruption, which his son is allegedly doing. His father must be turning in the grave at the actions of his son.
