DPP asks not to be sued for embezzlement of public funds to ‘Blue Night’

After blue Night took place on July 29 2017 for a fundraising dinner, many including civil society organisations (CSOs) have accused ruling Government, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of embezzling the public funds for an event.

The CSO’s threatened to take legal action on DPP’s coercive collection of money from some parastatals and city councils where the party has opted for dialogue.

Unlike in few days ago where DPP leaders, including secretary general Greselder Jeffrey and vice president for the Centre Hetherwick Ntaba,  used to say the party would not make a refund as it did not force any institution to support its fundraising cause at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

Wa Jeffrey has now written the CSOs  a letter dated August 28, 2017, saying the party was willing to furnish the public with details of the money collected and donors through the CSOs, but through a dialogue process.

Wa Jeffrey claims that lawyer, Wesley Mwafulirwa for CSOs was misled that the activists had made attempts to engage the governing party in a dialogue, saying they were engaging the DPP through the media.

“Should your clients be open to dialogue in order to solve this issue amicably as your letter intimates, we have a team on standby to engage with your clients and to ensure that their questions are satisfied,” she said.

Wa Jeffrey said DPP “would like to propose dialogue on the matter.”

She asked lawyer Mwafulirwa to advice the CSOs “accordingly so that both parties can agree on the process.”

However, stated that the position of CSO’s remains irrevocable“DPP must pay back the money and publish names of institutions they siphoned money from.”

Sources indicate that Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) as well as Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre city councils collectively contributed K13.5 million to the DPP event.