‘DPP not scared of K92 billion audit’

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has said the K92 billion audit query is far much different from the systematic plunder of public funds widely known as Cashgate.

Minister of Information and Civic Education Kondwani Nankhumwa said in an interview on Thursday that the K92 billion is a normal audit query from most ministries, departments and councils between 2009 and 2012.

He said the DPP government is not losing sleep over it because controlling officers would be given a chance to explain the matter.

Nankhumwa said government will not interfere with processes and will give all the required support to the Auditor General’s office and stakeholders involved.

National Audit Office (NAO) corporate communications officer Thomas Chafunya said in an interview the audit processes already took off prior to the completion of the April to September 2013 forensic audit exercise.

He said the exercise will be conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers.

“The period [for the exercise] will depend on what will be found on the ground by the auditors. You may wish to know that forensic audits need vigilance and extra care in following the leads.

“President Peter Mutharika has always made a commitment that his administration will ensure that the National Audit Office and the Auditor General carry out their duties without any political interference. It is the same commitment that will guide the successful completion of this comprehensive forensic audit,” he said.

Nankhumwa said the K92 billion audit queries under the DPP administration of the late Bingu wa Mutharika is a normal audit exercise where controlling officers, for example, would be asked to provide receipts, explain allowances that were not signed for, among other details.

The minister said the DPP government welcomes the K92 billion investigations because it will help to clear its name.

The German government has funded the exercise with about K9 billion.