Finance Minister Ken Lipenga faces new calls to resign and pave way for investigation after being accused of using his influence to award a US$76.2 million worth of contract to an Indian company, Malawi News reported on Saturday.
According to an open letter by some staff member of the Ministry of Finance, dated March 3, 2012 widely circulated, there were six errors in the evaluation as Apollo Limited was awarded $6.8 million contract for; design, supply, construction, installation and commissioning of irrigation networks.
“Members of the Evaluation Committee have reported to their colleagues that you [Finance Minister Ken Lipenga] instructed them to award the contracts to Apollo without fail,” reads part of the letter.
The company also got a contract wotk$31.6million for the construction of fuel reserves in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) spokesperson Egrita Mdala also confirmed receiving the letter, saying they are examining on whether it merit their investigations.
