Africa-Press – Malawi. While Malawians were being told lies that the budget for this years’ 57 years independence anniversary celebrations had been slashed from K244 million to a paltry K50 million, Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) Zangazanga Chikhosi was busy pocketing K238 million for the same celebrations.
Our highly-placed impeccable source at the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) revealed that Malawians were hoodwinked to think that the budget was slashed as stated by Minister of Home Affairs Richard Chimwendo Banda who was Chairperson of the organising Committee of the celebrations.
The source who shared with us part of the bank statement from an FDH Bank account showing some transactions by Chikhosi, said the government ‘silently’ withdrew almost the same amount that was initially budgeted for the celebrations through Chikhosi.
“They lied to the nation that they have reduced the independence celebration budget to only K50 million but it was all lies. They withdrew all the money as earlier budgeted and what they did with that money, your guess is as good as mine,” said the source.
The bank statement shows that on 2 July 2021, there was an inward telex payment with reference details; RFB/57 Independence//090TRF006290//OPC amount K238,286,196.00. The account number is 1970000056939 Account name Chief Secretary to the Government.
Chikhosi was not available for comment as his phones went unanswered. However, insiders said Chikhosi is the only one who can explain where that money went to and there are calls for some law enforcers to grill Chikhosi on the transaction.
About MK244 million had been set aside to cater for costs in commemorating 57 years of independence under the theme ‘Building an inclusive wealthy and self-reliant nation through mindset-change and servant leadership’, but Chimwendo Banda later backtracked and said the figure has since been reduced to MK 50 million.
Malawi cancelled the country’s 57th Independence Day celebrations due to a surge in coronavirus cases. Malawi broke away from British colonial rule on July 6, 1964.
The southern African nation, which held a court-sanctioned presidential election on June 23, 2020, which Dr. Lazarus Chakwera won, has seen the ravaging COVID-19 global pandemic cases rising. Malawi, one of the poorest nations in the world has a population of about 19.13 million – most of whom live on a $1 a day.
