THE United States has taken a decisive step against corruption in Malawi, announcing entry bans on four former government officials implicated in significant graft, the State Department revealed on Wednesday.
The officials named in the sanction include Reyneck Matemba, former solicitor general and secretary of justice, John Suzi-Banda, former director of public procurement and disposal of assets, Mwabi Kaluba, former attorney of the Malawi Police Service, and George Kainja, former Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service, the department confirmed.
According to the State Department, these individuals allegedly abused their public positions by accepting bribes and other incentives from a private business entity in exchange for a lucrative government police contract.
Matthew Miller, spokesman for the department, underscored the US commitment to supporting Malawians in their pursuit of a just and prosperous nation. ‘The United States stands with Malawians working towards a more just and prosperous nation by promoting accountability for corrupt officials, including advocating for transparency and integrity in government procurement processes,’ Miller asserted in a statement.
Responding to the allegations, Reyneck Matemba expressed surprise and refuted the claims. ‘I am still in Malawi and have never travelled outside the country since 2021. I am on bail, therefore I can’t travel because my passport is technically with the police,’ Matemba told Reuters
Malawi’s President, Lazarus Chakwera, has been actively combating corruption within the government. In January 2022, he dissolved the entire Cabinet due to corruption charges against three serving ministers. Additionally, the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested and charged Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima later that year over graft allegations.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has been investigating allegations of state resource plundering by public officers in Malawi, particularly focusing on influencing contract awards through the country’s public procurement system.
Despite being one of Africa’s smallest countries, Malawi faces significant economic challenges, with nearly three-quarters of its population living below the poverty line of $2 a day.
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