Written by Dyson Kamwana:
The Center for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), says the Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda has resorted to a roundtable discussion on CDEDI’s planned vigils at the AG’s office demanding his resignation for failure to update the public on the whereabouts of K750 million meant for fertilizer, the government was duped by a UK company, Baakart Foods Limited.
The AG is on record as having promised Malawians that he will resign if he fails to recover in full the fund that was meant for fertilizer under the Affordable Input Programme (AIP).
Following the AG’s silence on the whereabouts of the funds, the Center for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) planned to hold a vigil at the AG’s office to demand his resignation starting Friday this week.
However, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa has disclosed that they have postponed the vigils pending discussion with the AG between April 11th and 17th ,2023, failing which, CDEDI will proceed with the vigils Friday next week.
“The AG’s decision was raised during an interface meeting officials from Lilongwe District Council held with us to discuss the matter Wednesday, and we’ve postponed the vigils to pave the way for discussions”, said Namiwa.
He was however quick to say that CDEDI will proceed with the vigils next week, if the AG fails to provide proof that the money was recovered.
Umunthu FM is yet to independently confirm with the AG, of the planned roundtable discussion.
Government of Malawi used the company, Baakart Foods Limited as an agent to procure fertilizer on its behalf, and later realized the company was a Butchery and not a fertilizer company.
Earlier this year, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture Sumeer Suleman alleged that the money had been stolen and shared between some public officers who were entrusted to undertake the process.
The developments surrounding fertilizer under the Affordable Input Program (AIP) in the 2022/2023 farming season led to the firing of the then Minister of Agriculture, Lobin Lowe.
