Enough is enough!Fuel companies who bid for the K350 billion fuel supply contract are set to expose the corrupt ridden in the procurement process this week, Nyasa Times can disclose.
Several companies which bid for the contracts have woved to reveal to Malawians the bribes that Ministers and advisors to President Lazarus Chakwera demanded in exchange for the contracts with concrete evidence.
Already one of those gifts, K30 million CVTOS watches custom made with Malawi Government emblem have been exposed on social media as having been given to a senior Cabinet Minister and a National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma)manager.
“They promised us the fuel deal, demanded everything and we complied, but they have back tracked and have dumped everyone from the first group opting to pick someone else,” said one of the operators based in Europe.
“We are engaging a media expert who knows the Malawi terrain. Malawians will pay more just because some people are using the fuel contract as a money minting exercise,” he added.
Some of the companies at the centre of the controversy includes Sahara, Trafigura and ZR Energy and unconfirmed reports indicate a private jet flew into Malawi in February on a mission to engage the Ministers who had pocketed bribes.
“The problem is these suppliers met the President’s aides, one senior Minister and others, they have documentary evidence of everything and when it comes out, Malawians should be expected to see how corrupt some Ministers have become in 8 months.
“It will be interesting to see them survive the promised cabinet reshuffle the President promised this month end,” said one of the people familiar with the matter.
Another journalist said the operators have delivered recordings of some of their meetings, Whatsapp messages and receipts of what was shipped to them.
“It’s a deal gone sour. The problem with multinationals is that they can play dirty. They can support someone’s opponent. After listening to part of the clips, all I can say is that people were reckless and the day they have chosen to release them a few people in Cabinet will sink, ” he said.
The fuel matter came into public when acting Nocam director general Helen Buluma who is said to be connected to a powerful Minister and Chakwera aide claimed Malawians Energy Minister Newton Kambala was trying to influence the contracts to selected suppliers.
However, Nyasa Times can declare Kambala innocent of any underhand dealings and that he was a victim of two cabinet ministers, two Presidential aides and a senior member of the resuscitating Aford who allegedly shared a US$1 million bounty.
The suppliers who gave out the money want their money back, promising drama.
“The took the money, took a lot of things. Malawians deserve to know how crooked they are,” promised one of the operators.
Another operator indicated a Malawian (whose name and passport number we have withheld deliberately for now) whose names start with AN was the deal broker who took several suppliers to State House and Ministers office. Efforts to speak to Mr AN were futile as he did not answer his WhatsApp.
President Chakwera has been consistently warned of growing corruption tendencies and flamboyance of his Cabinet members and despite promising lifestyle audits his aides and ministers continue to display unusual wealth and lifestyle raising eyebrows on his commitment to fighting corruption.
“After branding Peter Mutharika as Prince of thieves, I dont know what this Government will be christened. K6.2 billion weeks after they came into Government, K65 million State House scandal, we hear of Ministers demanding money in exchange for tenders, resident permits, we hear of a US$2 million cash collected from a certain foreign country. People who are detailing all this will bring it out soon, the Government will collapse,” said another familiar to government dealings.
Nyasa Times will be giving details of the bribes and money paid by the operators to Tonse Government administration and the available evidence
