17th July 2022
The Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources,
Capital Hill Lilongwe.
ATT: HON. EISENHOWER MKAKA, MP
Dear Sir,
RE: DEMAND TO CLEAR YOUR NAME IN THE CURRENT ALLEGED HIGH PROFILE CORRUPTION SCANDAL
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) writes you, sir, with reference to the above stated subject matter.
To begin with Hon. Minister, it is an open secret that apart from being a member of the President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s cabinet, you are no ordinary citizen, but the Secretary General (SG) for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), a major partner in the Tonse Alliance government, hence being prone to public scrutiny.
It is for this very reason that CDEDI would like to take you back to July 2020, where through your Facebook account and a video clip, you confirmed to Malawians, Hon. Minister, that you used proceeds from some compensation that was made to you, to purchase a Mercedes Benz to the tune of MWK45 million Kwacha. The Facebook post was in reaction to speculations that the said vehicle was pegged at MWK72 million Kwacha. By then Malawians were surprised with such extravagant life style, given the fact that the vehicle was bought just a few days of Tonse Alliance in government, and just a few days after you were appointed as a cabinet minister.
Now, two years down the line, details have emerged through court documents in the United Kingdom (UK), indicating that the same vehicle which you claimed to have purchased with your own money, is appearing on the list of vehicles that a British businessperson Zuneth Sattar bought and shipped to Malawi as gifts for top Malawi government officials during the same period that you confirmed to have purchased a similar vehicle with the same chassis number; a Mercedes Benz bearing chassis number WDD2221322A338705 and registration number KT17040.
Your actions in July 2020, Hon. Minister, clearly demonstrated your honesty and transparency as a Malawian citizen who cares about his own credibility and trustworthiness, and with nothing to hide. It is in the same spirit of honesty and transparency that CDEDI is challenging you, Hon. Minister, to break the silence by explaining the glaring coincidence following the strong allegations that the vehicle you claimed to have purchased using your own money, is alleged to have been a gift from Mr. Sattar, who is currently being investigated by both the National Crimes Agency (NCA) in the UK, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Malawi, for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal.
Hon. minister, your silence on this matter of national interest is not only deafening, but is also validating speculations that you are one of the beneficiaries of Mr. Sattar’s alleged generosity to top government officials in Malawi.
It is against this background that the CDEDI, on behalf of Malawians demands the following from you Hon. Minister:
1. To produce bank receipts as evidence of payment for the vehicle
2. To produce Performa Invoice bearing the company name from which you purchased the vehicle
3. To produce the bill of lading documents showing the shipment details
4. To accept that the car was indeed a gift from Mr. Sattar, and explain to Malawians the context, and justify the stance you made earlier in July 2020
Kindly take note Hon. Minister, that failure to comply with the above stated demands, will force Malawians to take action as it smacks a compromised person or a dishonest person that is not fit to serve as a cabinet minister.
CDEDI is therefore, giving you Hon. Minister, seven (7) days to either clear your name in this alleged corruption scandal, or to honourably resign from your position as a cabinet minister.
Yours Faithfully,
Sylvester Namiwa
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
