By Christopher Munthali
Since its formation in 2003, the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) has been functioning efficiently — until it fell into the harness of MCP politics.
Now a coveted estate of President Lazarus Chakwera and his errand boys Zangazanga Chikhosi and Eisenhower Mkaka, NOCMA is today a looters’ paradise for that MCP enterprise.
Sources privy to the goings-on have told this publication that Chakwera, Chikhosi (Secretary to President and Cabinet) and Mkaka (MCP Secretary General) have found a good ally in NOCMA Deputy CEO Hellen Buluma in fraudulently awarding fuel importation contracts.
That is why she has stayed put, although Chakwera earlier said she was linked to the former ruling party, DPP.
In truth, Buluma is the smooth operator for Chikhosi and, indirectly, the President. The scheme was to award the contracts to MCP loyalists and bootlickers.
Minister of Energy Newton Kambala is against this corrupt arithmetic, resulting in the fallout between him and Chikhosi and Mkaka. Chikhosi is the main actor and common denominator in all such dark cases and dirty games.
As a result, Chikhosi who is Chakwera’s alternative brain has recommended to the President to sack Kambala in the next cabinet reshuffle accusing him of sabotaging MCP deals.
According to our sources, Chikhosi has also recommended that the President should hire Chewa as Chief Executive Officers for NOCMA and other government-controlle¬d companies so that he can easily manipulate them.
A renowned social commentator and opinion influencer has since advised President Chakwera to trade carefully on the matter.
He warned Chakwera to be carefully with Chikhosi who is ‘silently’ his downfall.
“In each administration, there are two to four people who are a big problem and bring down a government through selfishness, tribalism and pure greed. They capture the president.
“It will be the same with the so called Tonse government. This government is going to fall because of a few individuals,” said Mauka in indirect reference to Chikhosi.
He further said: “But look around the events happening in Malawi and you will easily see them. For example, who’s the common denominator in the OPC and Attorney General fight?
“Who’s the common denominator in the NOCMA and MERA scuffle? That common denominator is the problem. He is Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zangazanga Chikhosi who is also Board Chairman of NOCMA.”
The analyst also noted that appointment of parastatal Chief Executive Officers is being delayed by Chikhosi who wants to recruit only Chewa’s and sympathizers of Malawi Congress Party.
“Chakwera should know that we are associating Chikhosi’s actions with him. He must solve this problem if he wants to rescue his credibility and remove the perception of leadership failure,” he concluded.
NOCMA Limited is wholly owned by the Government of Malawi and was formed in line with the National Energy Policy of January 2003, but was registered on December 14 2010 under the Companies Act of 1984.
The company is involved in fuel importation, storage at strategic fuel reserves and distribution nationwide.
