By Suleman Chitera
Public pressure is growing for government authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation into allegations of corruption involving individuals linked to the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration, with increasing calls for all mismanaged or stolen funds to be returned to Account Number One — the government’s central account for public resources.Who Is Behind Lowe’s K30 Billion Scandal? AIP Funds Shared At Barkaat Butchery
The demand follows revelations in various National Audit Office (NAO) reports and reviews by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which highlighted irregularities in procurement, unaccounted expenditure, and questionable payments in several government ministries and agencies over recent years.
Audit Findings Raise Questions
Particular concern has surrounded the handling of the K17 billion COVID-19 Response Funds, where the audit identified weaknesses in how funds were disbursed and managed across multiple institutions.Where Lobin Lowe Got Powers To Close Admarc?
While several officers were suspended or disciplined, civil society organizations argue that recovery of funds has not matched the scale of the losses noted in official records.
“We cannot continue losing billions while hospitals lack medicine, students lack desks, and the cost of living keeps rising,” said one governance activist in Lilongwe. “Every kwacha must be traced and recovered. This is not a political issue — it is a national survival issue.”
Calls for Non-Selective Justice
Across social media platforms and public debate forums, citizens are calling for equal treatment of all officials involved, regardless of position or political allegiance. Many argue that past administrations were scrutinized heavily, and therefore, current officials must be held to the same level of accountability.
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“If someone misused public funds, whether they are MCP, DPP, UTM, or independent, they must answer,” a Lilongwe-based analyst said. “Malawians are tired of selective justice.”
Civil Society Groups Increase Pressure
Organizations including the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) and the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT) have renewed their push for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to:
Fast-track pending investigations
Publicize progress reports
Seize assets linked to suspicious payments
Recover funds and redirect them to the national treasury
CSAT Executive Director Willy Kambwandira recently stressed that Malawi’s public financial crisis makes recovery of stolen funds more urgent than ever.
Why Returning Money to Account Number One Matters
Economists argue that recovering misused funds would:
Reduce pressure on the national budget
Improve funding for health, education, agriculture and social welfare
Strengthen Malawi’s international financial reputation
Restore public confidence in state institutions
Under the Public Finance Management Act, all public funds must be accounted for and any losses must be recovered “without delay.”Lobin Lowe and the AIP Fertilizer Scandal: How Malawi’s Subsidy Program Was Abused
A National Demand for Transparency
As investigations continue, the public remains highly alert, and the call is unambiguous: no sacred cows, no selective prosecution, and full recovery of taxpayers’ money.
For many Malawians, the fight is not about party colors — it is about economic justice and restoring trust in government systems.Lobin Lowe Implicated in Fertilizer ‘Butchery’ Scandal
