Africa-Press – Malawi. The country’s civil rights group Forum for National Development (FND) wants President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government to commence criminal proceedings on Elvis Supplies and General Dealers’ directors for duping taxpayers money totaling MK389,917,911.23 through Malawi Rural Electrification Project (MAREP).
FDN told the news conference on Monday, November 20, 2023, that Elvis Supplies received advance payment but failed to supply items to MAREP. The grouping disclosed that Elvis Supplies and General Dealers is one of the four companies out of 30 that failed to supply items to MAREP.
FDN National Coordinator and Chairperson Fryson Chodzi and Bright Kampaund respectively hinted that directors of the company must be prosecuted “until every single Kwacha is recovered and must never be allowed to do business with the government again”.
“We queried the government through the Ministry of Energy and OPC on the allegations that there has been sharing of money through MAREP contracts and that the companies were paid advances but didn’t deliver. The same was also logged with ACB as a complaint warranting investigation.
“Ironically, the Minister and Ministry of Energy never bothered to address the matter but the Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) took it to provide feedback on the matter. According to evidence and feedback given, 30 companies were given contracts to supply under MAREP. 29 out of the 30 companies got an advance payment to supply to MAREP. Out of all companies contracted, four companies failed to supply which included 3 companies that got an advance and the remaining companies that did not receive the advance,” reads part of the statement to the press.
FND adds, “Here are the four companies, Commercial Trading Company (No advance Payment taken), Elvis Supplies and General Dealers (Received an advance payment) of MK389,917,911.23, Mutiti General Dealers (Received an advance of K122,812,700.66) and Nexell – Received an advance payment of MK42,664, 192.13
“Out of the three companies, NEXELL and MUTITI General Dealers paid back the money to the government, while ELVIS hasn’t delivered nor paid back the money”
FND demands, “We recommend the Government take the initiative to recover the money that companies received as an advance and didn’t deliver. This is unprecedented in the history of Malawi and the SPC and Ministry of Energy must be commended for taking bold steps to recover the money.
“As MAREP will be issuing new contracts, our plea is that no company that failed to deliver must be included on the suppliers’ list. We as FND will be writing the PPDA to scrap off the said companies on the list of those to do business with the Government. As for ELVIS, we call upon the government to commence criminal proceedings on the directors of the company until every single Kwacha is recovered, and must never be allowed to do business with the government again”. During the briefing, FND was taking stock of the fight against corruption in Malawi.
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