RBM Governor, Chief Secretary summoned by PAC to give cashgate updates

The Public Accounts Committee(PAC) of Malawi parliament has summoned the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and the Chief Secretary to government, George Nkondiwa to give updates to the committee on the Cashgate scandal as it is was done to the previous Committee to ensure that the general public is informed on how the two institutions and government have fared in bringing culprits to task.

The committee was introduced with an aim of ensuring that government resources are properly managed as the country suffered an extensive looting of public funds at the Capital Hill, a development which forced the donor partners to withdraw aid to Malawi.

In speaking to the media, PAC Chairperson Alekeni Menyani said the committee wants the update so that Malawians get to know what transpired in the scandal as well as what the strides the government has put in dealing with the matter.

“We recommend that if we should have the report. They will have to tell us what they have done, the challenges as well as mechanisms they may put to avoid a recurrence of the same ” said Menyani.

At the moment, the Former Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Treza Namathanga Senzani has been convicted out of more than 70 people who were arrested in connection with the scandal. Senzani has been sentenced to three years and nine month imprisonment on money laundering and theft charges respectively.

She had earlier on pleaded guilty of stealing money amounting to MK60 Million .

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has of late made several arrests of notable figures including former budget Director in the Ministry of Finance, Paul Mphwiyo, People Party officials, Ephraim Chibvunde and Hopmally Makande.