Africa-Press – Malawi. First, whether Helen Buluma, the former National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was rightly or wrongly appointed in her position by the former President Arthur Peter Mutharika, one thing still remains and stands out about her. She was professional on her job. The competence or skill demonstrated by Helen was unquestionable. She was key to quality and efficiency and professionalism.
The skill, good judgment, and patriotic behavior was shown by Buluma as someone who was trained and willing to do the job well. Buluma is a true professional who is reliable, competent, and maintained her poise throughout her job up to the time she resigned. She never gave in to any pressure.
Confidence
Second, you can clearly see and visualize or hear the confidence from Buluma as she testifies in front of Public Appointments Committee (PAC) in Parliament. This tells you something that the lady was explaining something that happened behind scenes and also in her full view as some top officials in politics and government defraud this country further to the level of one of the poorest in the world.
She was self-assured. This applies to everything from who she is as a person, that is, her character, and to her accomplishments. She knows exactly who she is and she has done a good job.
Patriotism
Third, the former CEO is patriotic to her own country Malawi if you connect the dots carefully and very well. She demonstrated this during her term of office and when she opened up to PAC. Those who cannot see this it’s just unfortunate that they can’t.
She is patriotic; devotion to and vigorous support for her country. A highly dedicated officer of unquestionable integrity and patriotism, patriotic sentiment, loyalism, chauvinism, jingoism, flag-waving. Helen Buluma has the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to her own country.
Honesty
Fourth, Helen is honest with herself, her job, radio interviews, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Parliament. Whatever has been provided to the nation was out of honesty as more revelations are coming out on the same but from other quarters one by one and they are just facts.
She spoke with convincing honesty about her fears and frustration on the job. Moral correctness, uprightness, honourableness, honour, integrity, morals, morality, ethics, principle, (high) principles, nobility, righteousness, rectitude, right-mindedness, upstandingness, virtue, goodness, probity, worthiness, high-mindedness, justness, fairness, incorruptibility, truthfulness, truth, veracity, trustworthiness, reliability, conscientiousness, scrupulousness, reputability, dependability, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, sincerity, candour, frankness, directness, forthrightness, openness, straightforwardness, plainness, genuineness, bluntness, outspokenness
Courage
Fifth, Buluma is a courageous lady who stood firm against being pushed by different forces from Colleen Zamba Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) State House, cabinet ministers, principal secretary, party officials from the ruling government and the Nigerian Chief . The former CEO resisted the pressure of signing bogus fuel supply deals which would have tarnished the image of Malawi further into being considered as idiots who don’t think.
MCP government corruption
Seventh, iron lady Helen Buluma, has smartly and eloquently exposed government corruption as many quarters have always said.
Scared politicians
Eighth, the former CEO, for sure, scared the corrupt politicians connected to the cobwebs of corruption as she went ahead revealing the saga in Parliament. There was an attempt by the Attorney General, Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda to stop Helen Buluma and Colleen Zamba from appearing before Parliament. The testimony given to PAC by the former CEO was definitely a bomb that scared crows for sure (akhwangwala) as they have no place to hide anymore. From fertilizer corruption to fuel corruption.
She has mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. The former CEO has the ability to do something even if it is frightening because of her bravery.
She took on all her courage to stand her ground and face the harsh treatment from her bosses for choosing to stand for what she believed was right and appropriate for NOCMA and Malawi.
Helen Buluma decided to do something difficult or dangerous, even though it was scary. She has impressed everyone with her authority and personal courage. She does not have the courage to apologise for her actions because she just made the right decisions.
Procurement corruption occurs as a result of a conflict of interest situation where a public official wants to secure for himself or herself and related parties, the benefits which rightly belong to the public, by bypassing the formal requirements for the awarding of these privileges. The common errors are associated to lack of transparency and equal treatment, discriminatory criteria, artificial splitting of the contracts, and conflict of interest.
Procurement Fraud/Malpractices do not occur anywhere away from the Procurement Cycle. They actually occur within these limits. They come with unlawful manipulation and dishonestly obtaining an advantage in the process to acquire goods or service. Corruption erodes the trust we have in the public sector to act in our best interests. It also wastes our taxes or rates that have been earmarked for important community projects – meaning we have to put up with poor quality services or infrastructure, or we miss out altogether.
Corruption does not only occur in government buildings. You can see corruption in your daily life. It impacts the implementation of the rule of law and democratic values. It takes funding away from important infrastructure investments such as roads, schools and hospitals, and deters international investors.
Corruption also generates a lack of transparency and a lack of control by supervisory institutions. Therefore, where there is insufficient legal basis or sufficient political will to control, which enables a non-transparent functioning of both politics and the economy, corruption flourishes.
Lessons
Finally, we must learn lessons from the iron lady Helen Buluma out of all this. When you are given a job to do, be professional, confident, patriotic, honest, courageous, firm and speak out clearly when chances arise. Do not be part of the corrupt !
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