The recent statement by the Malawi Local Government Association has exposed the associations impartiality and credibility by throwing caution to the wind in futile attempt to protect Balaka District Commissioner, Tamanya Harawa, who is accused intimidating the very same people he was supposed to serve with humility and dignity.
Harawa on several occasions has been captured on tape issues threats landowners and lawful occupiers of land in Ng’onga village Tradition Authority(T/A) Nsamala in Balaka who are paving way to mining operations by a Chinese owned Portland Cement Company.
It all starts with the wrong caption of the statement dated February 4th, 2025. It is captioned…Phalombe DC.
In the statement MALGA attempts to address the disputed compensation but it raises more questions than answers.
The statement , which was supposed to be captioned Balaka District Commissioner(DC) was instead minutes Phalombe District Commissioner. You will notice this way before opening the PDF document making rounds in the social media.
As if this is not enough , the statement contains a serious error of misspelling the name of T/A Nsamala as “Chamala.”
Such mistakes raises serious question of the authenticity of the whole statement.
Apparently, MALGA is trying to respond to genuine and legitimate concerns the people of Balaka are raising bordering on unfair compensation and the manner in which the whole process was conducted.
The communities claim that some officials, including District Commissioner Tamanya Harawa, are using Chiefs to frustrate their call for transparency and accountability in the whole process that dates back to 2023.
In some instances the whole family given MK914,000 to buy land and build a house to start a new lease of live leaving their birthplace for a multibillion dollar mining project for the Chinese people.
The concerned citizens are demanding Harawa’s removal within seven days after it came evident that he was working with some Chiefs to coerce the affected people to receive the mockery of the compensation.
MALGA states that the Balaka District Council, including the Council Chairperson and members, is aware of the issue and is taking urgent steps to address the grievances.
They also mention that the Ministry of Local Government has been informed.
However, MALGA then goes on to claim that, after conducting its own preliminary investigation, they found no evidence of the District Commissioner’s involvement.
They note that the compensation process began before Harawa took office, implying he could not have been part of the alleged scheme.
This statement from MALGA, signed by Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire its Executive Director, fails to acknowledge a key piece of information: a recent meeting held on January 22, 2025, when Harawa was already in office. During this meeting, an agreement was made to compensate victims within 30 days.
This crucial detail is missing from MALGA’s statement , raising doubts about the organization’s claims of investigation on this serious human rights violation.
An under-cover agent working with this publication uncovered that the Balaka District Council’s Compensation team, led by Joseph Flugensio, used forceful tactics to pressure landowners into signing documents they didn’t fully understand.
The source uneartherned that, the compensation team denied the landowners the opportunity to negotiate the terms during the assessment and disclosures leaving all the 100 plus feeling cheated and helpless.
The situation continues to unfold, but the glaring inconsistency and errors in MALGA’s statement, the disturbing findings on the ground coupled with the way Harawa conducted himself on Monday when the concerned citizens stormed his office, suggest that there may be more to the story than what is being portrayed publicly.
The people of Balaka and concerned organizations are calling for accountability and transparency in the compensation process, as well as in the actions of those in positions of power.
MALGA should have taken its time to investigate let alone do a simple desk research instead of hanging itself with a rope by siding with the oppressors instead of the vulnerable and marginalized people that have lost their land and business opportunities for good.
According to evidence on tape Harawa and Eastern Commissioner of lands Blessings Mpanga made a public apology during an all stakeholders meeting held in Balaka on Tuesday January 22,2025 and Uptown Lodge in Balaka.
