Africa-Press – Malawi. A leading governance watchdog has fired a fresh warning shot at Parliament, demanding that lawmakers reopen the long-stalled investigation into the botched K750 million fertilizer deal—a scandal that once shook public trust and exposed the rot in Malawi’s procurement systems.
The National Anti-Corruption Alliance (NACA) says it is deeply concerned that the inquiry, which was abruptly suspended by the previous Parliament, risks being quietly buried—leaving the Malawian taxpayer without answers or justice.
The deal, infamously linked to a dubious foreign supplier and the loss of hundreds of millions of kwacha meant for affordable fertilizer under the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), became one of the most embarrassing corruption sagas of the past administration. It symbolized everything wrong with Malawi’s governance culture: shady contracts, weak oversight, and political shielding of those involved.
But now, there is renewed hope. The election of Sameer Suleiman as Speaker of Parliament has revived public confidence that the truth may finally be unearthed. Suleiman, who once chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, was among the loudest voices demanding accountability when the scandal first broke.
In an interview with Capital FM, NACA Chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa urged Suleiman to act decisively and use his powerful new position to reopen the inquiry and ensure that no one—no matter how politically connected—escapes scrutiny.
“Malawians deserve to know what really happened. This was public money meant to feed struggling households, not line the pockets of a few. Speaker Suleiman has a moral and institutional duty to take this fight to the finish,” Kaiyatsa said.
Kaiyatsa warned that allowing the matter to fade into silence would send the wrong message—that corruption investigations in Malawi only target the powerless while protecting the privileged.
He also challenged Parliament’s oversight committees to push beyond political boundaries and deliver justice where the executive arm of government has failed.
“This is not just about fertilizer—it’s about the soul of our democracy. Parliament must show Malawians that accountability still exists,” Kaiyatsa added.
The fertilizer scandal, which dates back to 2022, saw the government pay K750 million to a UK-based firm that failed to deliver the promised supplies. The blunder triggered outrage and calls for heads to roll—but years later, not a single high-level official has been held responsible.
Now, with Suleiman in the Speaker’s chair and public anger simmering, NACA says the time for political convenience is over. It’s time, they insist, for Parliament to finish what it started—and prove that corruption will no longer be business as usual.
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