Peter Fachi, Patrick Mbewe, Clement Stambuli, Philip Bwanali, Salimu Bagus and Friday Jumbe
To face criminal charges of abuse of office, criminal negligence and STEALING GOVERNMENT MONEY.
 

Discipline Wadi, Muluzi demands

Monday, 16 August 2004
National by Peter Makossah.

UDF national chairman Bakili Muluzi has asked President Bingu wa Mutharika to discipline the Director of Public Prosecutions Ishmael Wadi and that he be kept away from the press because he is creating tension among senior UDF party officials with his arrest threats in the media.

A source that attended an extraordinary UDF National Executive Committee (Nec) meeting last Thursday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre said that tempers flared at the meeting, which was attended by most of the disgruntled party officials whose main concern was Wadi’s conduct.

Muluzi is reported to have told Mutharika that the newly confirmed DPP is careless in the way he divulges information to the press. “The party chairman told President Mutharika to discipline the DPP. Most of the Nec members supported Muluzi’s demands but the State President told the meeting that it would be difficult for him to do that because the office of the DPP is independent,” said the source who sought anonymity.

The officials who attended the meeting are party deputy director of research Humphrey Mvula, secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala, director of economic affairs Friday Jumbe, vice president Cassim Chilumpha, campaign director Clement Stambuli, deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda national organising secretary Salim Bagus and treasurer general Khumbo Kachale.

The source said things became hot when Muluzi took on State House Chief of Staff Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, asking him who he is and why he strives to embarrass the previous administration. Ng’oma, who is not a member of the UDF Nec but attended the meeting, reportedly hit back, saying he does not fear the former president. When contacted on the matter Ng’oma refused to comment only saying he was busy preparing for his trip with the President to Mauritius.

The meeting is said to have shelved plans to discipline members of a committee calling themselves Concerned Citizens led by Mike Omar Bagus and Wakuda Kamanga who last month published a statement that spoke against some UDF big wigs. Wadi said on Sunday he had just heard about the demand but no-one has officially communicated to him. He added that it is unfortunate if the allegation is true because the Republican Constitution guarantees the public the right to access information.

“I have not been formally communicated to on the demand but if it is true, it is in my view extremely unreasonable and undermines the integrity of my office. The Constitution guarantees the right for information and I believe that the general public has the right to have access to information as regards criminal proceedings. “As indicated earlier on I would like to work in a transparent manner and to achieve transparency, I need to constantly acquaint the general public with the various activities that my office will be undertaking,” Wadi said.

Some UDF Nec members who attended the meeting were tight-lipped when contacted on the matter, saying they are not allowed to comment on such issues. “Why don’t you call the Secretary General Honourable Makwangwala? I am sorry, I am not trying to be rude but I am not allowed to comment on such issues,” said Bagus, a Nec member.

Makwangwala could not be reached as he was reported to be on whistle stop tour with Muluzi.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda said on Sunday she is not aware of the issue, adding that nothing of that nature was discussed at the meeting. “There was nothing of that sort. If it was said then maybe it was between the two but I did not hear it at the meeting,” said Kaphwereza Banda.

Meanwhile government has offered Wadi a five-year contract through a letter reference number HRMD/LC/1049/2 signed by secretary for Human Resource Management and Development STK Madula. “The government’s decision to offer you contract of appointment is aimed at enhancing efficiency and productivity in the civil service,” reads the letter in part. Wadi’s appointment as DPP sparked controversy with some critics saying he is young and inexperienced.

Fast Trackers Meet MCP

The Chronicle Newspaper (Lilongwe)
August 15, 2004
By Wezie Nyirongo
Lilongwe

Incensed by the surge of resentment by both friend and foe alike, some members of the UDF Fast Track, a rebel grouping against President Mutharika's administration are alleged to have been meeting the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader John Tembo to feed him information on how the United Democratic Front (UDF) manipulated the votes to assist them in the election court case.

Sources from the two sides confided with The Chronicle that members of the Fast Trackers have been making arrangements to meet Tembo to form a strong network in an effort to give information which would be of importance to the election case.

This follows disagreements among UDF members over party and state administration leading to the formation of the Fast Track grouping and another forum in defence of Mutharika's administration. When contacted for comment on the allegations Fast Track leader Dumbo Lemani described the allegations as baseless saying he has never met Tembo over the issue.

I did not meet Tembo and will never meet him at any cost. I don't know anything about their court case and I have no information to give Tembo,' charged the outspoken Lemani while threatening to sue the paper if the story is published and avoiding the subject of the interview.

Sources claim that the Fast Trackers want to work with Tembo in order to frustrate Mutharika. The president has not included many of Muluzi's acolytes and loyalists in his administration and this has caused divisions and resentment. Additionally Mutharika is accused of going too far with the separation of party and state and for letting his Chief of Staff Ken Ng'oma have too much say and Director of Public Prosecutions Ishmael Wadi loose on previously protected VIPs in the party. The President's actions have given some UDF loyalists who have pending corruption and fraud cases sleepless nights.

Tembo could not be reached for comment as his cellphone was consistently out of reach but his vice president Nicholas Dausi said he was unaware of any talks taking place. He said that if the MCP need more evidence for their court case they would not obtain it through dubious means.

'I am not aware of the meeting and I think it is not true. However it is unethical to get evidence through dubious means and its not a question of the party to be searching for evidence because there are numerous bits of evidence that we have,' said Dausi.

Asked whether the party would get information from the Fast Trackers as evidence for their case, Dausi said: 'Since they haven't done so, it will be mere speculation for me to comment.' Another MCP source on condition of anonymity said that they would never accept information from the fast trackers as evidence because they know they are a disgruntled group of people who are just aiming to disgrace Mutharika who is doing a superb job, unlike Muluzi.

Lemani defied Muluzi's order to slow down his rebel grouping, challenging that he will never stop or slow down because some people are making noise that he has a corruption case to answer in connection with the Petroleum Control Commission.

A new development in the case found, on Friday last the former General Manager Denis Kambalame guilty of receiving gratification as a kick back of K3 million from a British firm. Kambalame has since been remanded into custody awaiting full sentencing. Lemani's fellow UDF executive members Friday Jumbe and Clement Stambuli distanced themselves from the Fast Track grouping when Lemani mentioned their names as some of the members of his Fast Track.

In a related development, DPP Wadi has said he is to prosecute Lemani's constant companions Thom Chiumia and Ken Ndanga who were with the Fast Track originator and are accused of beating up Emmie Chanika, a human rights activist who works for CILIC in Blantyre. http://www.nationmalawi.com/
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