The Malawi Human Rights Commission( MHRC) has called President Chakwera to make expeditious auditing on the alleged looting of COVID-19 funds by government officials and politicians.
In a Press Statement released on 13th February, which is signed by Executive Secretary, Habiba Osman, the Commission is disturbed with the plundering of COVID-19 funds.
“The Commission demands that every kwacha of those funds be transparently accounted for to the public without delay. This will restore trust and confidence in the public, on how the funds were expended and how the remaining funds will be used to fight the virus which has already caused a great number of fatalities in the country, particularly, for those working in the front lines. No one should be left behind in this fight hence the need for transparency and accountability, said Habiba Osman in her Statement.
MHRC joins the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Kondwani Nankhumwa who two days ago called for forensic audit to dig out the underlying factors that led to the looting of the public funds when the country is passing turbulent waters. Nankhumwa has cited that the Presidential Task Force has no legal jurisdiction and expertise to audit government accounts as that is job of National Audit Office as laws of Malawi stipulate.
Nankhumwa who is also a member of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has warned that if Government does not call for forensic audit within 14 days to audit all clusters that handled money, he is ready to throw in the towel for what he termed ‘ saving his image and brand’ as a Leader of the Opposition.
“The Commission strongly recommends that an oversight body or bodies need to he equipped to monitor the usage of the COVID-19 funds including citizen- generated funds that will he needed for addressing the pandemic at all levels, as we note that the Task Force has failed to deliver on the President’s directive of complying with 48 hours directive”, MHRC says in the Statement.
Reports indicate that district council officials and politicians have connived to loot the public funds that were supposed to help the country to fight against the pandemic.
Chakwera is yet to address the Nation on this as his 48 hours directive has already elapsed.
