Tuesday, April 20, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Front Page

Embassy probe moves to Kenya

by Suzgo Khunga
11/01/2018
in Front Page, National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is scheduled to investigate circumstances surrounding the loss of public funds at Malawi’s foreign mission in Nairobi, Kenya where an audit established that a firm was paid for work not done.

Committee chairperson Alekeni Menyani said in an interview yesterday that a team comprising five committee members, two officials from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and two members of Parliament secretariat will travel to Kenya to probe the matter further.

RelatedHeadlines

Minister upbeat on vaccination exercise

Chakwera unhappy with Neef bottlenecks

Suspension without pay sparks debate

menyani | The Nation Online
Menyani: It will take four to five days

He said the inquiry will take four to five days.

Menyani said the committee has the support of Chief Secretary to the Government following an agreement of further engagement between the Executive and the Legislature as the oversight body.

In justifying the trip, Menyani said an investigation by his committee could help to bring to book those who participated in the loss of public funds.

He said: “OPC has helped the committee to trace these companies and so far, there is willingness to explain themselves. We want to marry what they will explain and what we have learnt this side and see where the gap is and how all this money could be lost like that.”

The committee wants to investigate how the firm was engaged instead of another one that was carrying out the works at the Malawi Chancery in Nairobi, said Menyani.

Isaac Munlo | The Nation Online
Said there was an anomaly: Munlo (R)

He added: “The price tag of engaging Kairu Mbuthia was four to five times more than the previous one, but there was no indication on why they did not engage someone competent within affordable ranges.”

The audit found that a Kenyan law firm, Kairu Mbuthia and Kiingati Advocates, was engaged to oversee rehabilitation of Malawi Government property in Nairobi for the sum of $500 000 (about K367 million).

But the Auditor General’s report for the year ending June 30 2013 found that money was spent without supporting documents at the chancery.

Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Isaac Munlo had said there was an anomaly in the way the ministry procured the services of the Kenyan law firm.

In September last year, the committee learnt that Kairu Mbuthia and Associates was contracted for the sum of $2 023.81 per month while the previous firm was engaged at $892.86 monthly.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation was also asked to explain why Kairu Mbuthia allowed Memu General Building, a lone bidder, to raise invoices of repairs to the official residence of the ambassador amounting to $16 838 without the issuance of completion certificates.

The company also rehabilitated the chancery at a cost of $197 892 when similar rehabilitation works years later by another firm cost $12 000.

Commenting on the audit observations, Menyani said: “As if that was not enough, Kairu Mbuthia engaged another contractor to do repairs at the chancery, but no repairs were done.

“The auditors found invoices paid for the fixing of the damage on the ground; we have been told this was not fixed.”

The committee will also probe events surrounding the deal to install a new lift in the control tower at Kamuzu International Airport, which a Kenyan firm did not carry out, but it was paid $48 000 (about K36 million).

Avatar
Suzgo Khunga
Previous Post

Thugs vandalise Ntcheu DHO security lights

Next Post

Africa Parks relieves Chikwawa communities

Related Posts

chiponda | The Nation Online
National News

Minister upbeat on vaccination exercise

April 20, 2021
chakweraa | The Nation Online
National News

Chakwera unhappy with Neef bottlenecks

April 20, 2021
chakwera 5 | The Nation Online
National News

Suspension without pay sparks debate

April 20, 2021
Next Post
Pupils sit on the veranda of the new classrooms blocks

Africa Parks relieves Chikwawa communities

Opinions and Columns

Big Man Wamkulu

Hot babe wants to trap me, should I ran?

April 18, 2021
Political Uncensored

Mighty mess!

April 18, 2021
My Thought

Chakwera’s indecisiveness will be his downfall

April 18, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Cut the crap, act on abuse forthwith

April 17, 2021
https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf

Trending Stories

  • Ordered officers’ interdiction without pay:  Chakwera

    Chakwera bites

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Chilima in public projects inspection

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ministry defends ‘borrowing’ of Covid-19 funds

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • OPC frustrates roads projects

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Malewezi’s career, political profile

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.