Malawi Social Media Erupts After Leaked NEEF Loan List Names Politicians and High Profile Figures

Malawi’s social media platforms are buzzing following the leak of a document allegedly containing names of beneficiaries of loans from the National Economic Empowerment Fund. The document, which lists borrowers and the amounts obtained, has sparked widespread debate after users noticed that several names belong to politicians and high profile individuals rather than ordinary citizens the program was intended to empower.

The controversy intensified on Wednesday when Minister of Agriculture Rosa Mbilizi presented an update in Parliament on what she described as a calculated, organized and fraudulent loan structure under the mega farms project.

Reading from a list of beneficiaries, Mbilizi named individuals who allegedly accessed large sums of money but have since failed to repay the loans. She further claimed that in some cases, politicians used vulnerable youths from poor backgrounds as fronts to obtain the funds.

“Every single tambala must be paid back to the Malawian people,” she said.

The development triggered heated exchanges in the House after a Member of Parliament from Lilongwe insinuated that the name of the country’s third citizen had appeared among the defaulters.

First Deputy Speaker Victor Musowa immediately demanded the withdrawal of the statement.

“The name of the Second Vice President is His Honour the Right Honourable Enock Kanzingeni Chihana, and I did not hear that name on the list read by the Minister,” Musowa said.

The MP subsequently withdrew the remarks. Further clarification revealed that the name Chakufwa Chihana appearing on the list refers to the son of Yeremiah Chihana, a former Member of Parliament for Mzimba North. The younger Chihana is reportedly linked to a loan amounting to MK318,680,920.40.

Among other individuals mentioned by the Minister were former Cabinet ministers and several Members of Parliament from the ruling Malawi Congress Party, independent legislators and other prominent figures.

Names read out in Parliament included former ministers like Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, Ezekiel Ching’oma, Jean Sendeza, Ulemu Chilapondwa and Rudo Chakwera, daughter-inlaw to former President Lazarus Chakwera.

Musowa urged any lawmakers who may have accessed the loans through proxy names to come forward and disclose the truth. He described it as unfortunate that some beneficiaries allegedly misused the funds instead of allowing deserving Malawians to benefit.

As debate continues online and in political circles, pressure is mounting for full accountability and recovery of the outstanding public funds.