By Burnett Munthali
The People’s Party (PP) has refuted claims that it received K15.7 million during the funeral of the late Vice President Saulos Chilima. According to the party’s spokesperson, Ackson Kalaile Banda, the PP only received K9.5 million, contradicting the findings of the commission investigating the plane crash that claimed Chilima’s life and seven others.
The commission’s report, based on information provided by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, and the Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo, stated that K15.7 million was disbursed to the People’s Party. This figure has raised questions about the whereabouts of the remaining K6.2 million, which remains unaccounted for.
Efforts to seek clarification from Robert Kalindiza, the spokesperson in Zamba’s office, have been unsuccessful. Similarly, Minister Mvalo has yet to respond to inquiries about the matter. The Ministry of Finance spokesperson, Williams Banda, directed questions to the Office of the President and Cabinet, which has not issued a statement on the matter.
The commission further revealed that Chilima had collected K5 million from President Lazarus Chakwera as a condolence contribution for the late Ralph Kasambara’s family. However, only K1.8 million and K69,000 were recovered from the crash site, leaving K3 million unaccounted for.
This discrepancy has raised suspicions about financial mismanagement surrounding the funeral arrangements and the handling of public funds.
The missing funds, both from the K15.7 million allocated to the PP and the K3 million intended for Kasambara’s family, have sparked widespread calls for transparency and accountability. Observers argue that the government must address these financial irregularities to restore public trust.
As questions about the whereabouts of the missing money persist, the government is under pressure to provide clear answers. Both the Office of the President and Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice must clarify the discrepancies highlighted in the commission’s report.
For now, the mystery surrounding the K6.2 million and the K3 million remains unresolved, leaving Malawians wondering where the funds intended for these critical purposes went.
