HRDC on Chakwera’s neck over COVID-19 funds plunder

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has demanded for the immediate interdiction of senior controlling officers in government, including some at the Office of President and Cabinet and even those at local council level, to allow the rule of law to take its cause.

The grouping made the call during a media briefing held in Lilongwe on Friday on the K6.2 billion Covid-19 Disbursement Audit Report by the National Audit Office.

HRDC has since demanded an an explanation from President Lazarus Chakwera on the involvement of the Office of the President and Cabinet in the plunder of Covid-19 funds.

The grouping has given the authority seven days to bring to book all culprits of the abuse of these funds and if government fails to do so HRDC will go to the streets.

HRDC says all companies that benefited from irregular procurement and mismanagement should be blacklisted from government contracts.

The Coalition says it is also surprised that the country’s security institutions are missing in the forensic audit report despite being having clusters which were allocated funding.

Money amounting to Mk720 million out of the MK6.2 billion meant for COVID-19 is said to have been miss-appropriated.