Smedi CEO sent on leave
State-run Small and Medium Enterprise Development Institute (Smedi) has sent on forced leave its chief executive officer (CEO) Charles Kazembe to pave the way for investigations into alleged abuse of K21 million.
Smedi board chairperson Betty Chinyamunyamu confirmed the suspension in an interview yesterday.
She said: “As for the CEO, he was asked to go on leave while matters are being finalised.”
In July last year, an audit conducted by the Central Internal Audit of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, established how the top three officials at the institution allegedly made bogus claims of fuel and telephone allowances amounting to K21 million.
The report recommended that the trio, including Kazembe, should be disciplined.
Yesterday, Kazembe refused to comment on his being sent on forced leave.
On the two other directors, whose identity has been concealed because their side of the story has not been heard, Chinyamunyamu said they have not been chosen despite attending interviews for their new contracts.
She said: “The two directors’ contracts expired and have not been renewed. There were interviews and someone has been offered the job.”
Smedi was established and registered in 2012 under the Trustees Incorporation Act after government merged Malawi Entrepreneurs Development Institute (Medi), Development of Malawin Traders Trust (Dematt) and Small and Medium Enterprise Development Organisation of Malawi (Sedom). The organisation primarily operates on public funds.
