By Suleman Chitera
Senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) figure Vitumbiko Mumba has launched a scathing attack on political elites accused of abusing public empowerment funds, describing the unfolding National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) loan saga as a betrayal of struggling Malawians.
Mumba, who ran alongside Lazarus Chakwera in last year’s presidential election, spoke out after the release of a controversial list of individuals accused of obtaining loans from NEEF but failing to repay them.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his Facebook page, Mumba said it is unacceptable that empowerment programmes meant for the poor are repeatedly captured by politicians and well-connected business figures.
“It is heartbreaking,” Mumba wrote, “that ordinary citizens remain locked out of economic opportunities while those already empowered manipulate systems designed to uplift the vulnerable.”
He argued that Malawi has seen this pattern before. Previous initiatives such as the Malawi Rural Development Fund (MARDEF) and the Malawi Enterprise Development Fund (MEDF) were similarly accused of being diverted from their original mission of supporting low-income Malawians.
According to Mumba, the latest revelations surrounding NEEF expose a systemic culture in which political influence determines access to public resources — often at the expense of genuine beneficiaries.
“What is even more disturbing,” he noted, “is that some of the names on the list belong to individuals who are already financially stable and yet accessed loans through simplified processes, only to allegedly refuse repayment.”
The scandal has ignited nationwide debate, with critics arguing that willful default by politically connected borrowers undermines public trust and cripples the fund’s ability to assist small-scale entrepreneurs, youth groups and rural communities.
NEEF was established to drive economic empowerment by offering accessible credit to Malawians lacking collateral and traditional banking access. However, if allegations of deliberate non-repayment by elites are substantiated, the integrity of the institution — and similar public financing mechanisms — could face serious credibility damage.
Mumba’s remarks add to mounting pressure on authorities to enforce loan recovery measures without fear or favour, and to ensure that empowerment funds are shielded from political exploitation.
As public scrutiny intensifies, the question remains whether accountability will prevail — or whether the cycle of elite capture will continue unchecked.
