United Kingdom: John Penrose MP resignation letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson (05.06.2022)

South Africa: Media Statement – By Arthur Fraser (01.06.2022)

Malawi: Chakwera avoided mentioning Sattar’s name by default…

Secondly, while I was away, I was informed that both social media and main stream media houses in the country were reporting that at a court proceeding in the United Kingdom, some senior officials in my Administration were named as accomplices in acts of corruption allegedly committed by a British citizen under investigation there. Tonight, I come to address you on these two developments” – President Lazarus Chakwera (31.05.2022).

It is truly a State Capture case by now. The connections and the allegations of Zuenth Sattar’s business practices within the Republic of Malawi. The businessman has connections and direct influence of the current government and the previous one too. Since, he can get away with it and not even being addressed. When everyone who has been following for a minute knows that his connected to it all.

President Chakwera by this National Address only furthers the proof of what Sattar has accomplished. Since, he has been able to directly partake and pay-off high-ranking officials. To such an extent. That they are afraid of naming him. They are all on his “pay-roll” and are “indebted” to him. That’s why the President cannot even say it, but only mention the ongoing corruption in the United Kingdom. Like it is a mysterious and unknown hoodlum who has tricked the republic. Because, the reverend is a man of words, been so for years and therefore, it is telling when he avoids a name. It’s like the preacher-man don’t want to speak of the devil. When the devil is in the details…

He continues:

Admittedly, these are serious allegations, and I know you are anxious and filled with suspicion, and I understand the anguish and anger you all feel from hearing these allegations. I feel the same distress you do from hearing allegations of corruption in the highest offices in the land, and I am just as frustrated as you are to hear that the British suspect recently visited Malawi and none of the agencies actively investigating him here noticed, thus missing a golden opportunity to make progress on the matter” (Chakwera, 31.05.2022).

Chakwera implies that he was just a vagabond and a random person travelling to Malawi. Like he didn’t know or just implicated for some reason. That the public will take it for granted and not understand what has been going on. Sattar has been known and he has been able to have leverage over the state. In such a manner, that only the British or the UK Courts will take a hold of him. Because, Sattar knows that the scandal and the grand scale of this corruption is only showing what is happening behind closed doors. Something that the President doesn’t want exposed, as he was getting easy money and so was his associates in government.

Near the end:

More broadly, today I am also announcing a new nationwide campaign for driving corruption out of Government agencies, which will be launched this July at a National Anti-Corruption Conference that I will host. A nationwide campaign against corruption is necessary because going by the recent findings that many of you feel that corruption is getting worse, our campaign to fight it also needs to be intensified” (Chakwera, 31.05.2022).

This here is a lot of hot-air. Empty promises and new campaign to end corruption. Instead of fighting it directly and target the ones within the administration who is implicated or participated in the bad behaviour. His instead making a conference and a campaign out of it. Just like it is easier to look at crops and visit district of the Republic, than to actually govern. Therefore, this is an escape route and a way of shielding it. Since it looks like he intends to do something, but most likely he hopes the scandal and the case dies out by that time.

He ends with:

Going forward, my pledge to all of you is simple: no matter what challenges we face or what changes they demand, I will always act in your best interest as your servant and act in accordance with the law to the best of my ability, so help me God” (Chakwera, 31.05.2022).

The great pastor returns with his promise to the congregation. That he will not sin, disobey or be disobedient. However, no one in their right mind believes that now. He couldn’t even name the guy, the man, the myth and the legend. The man who has created the state capture and was able to run away with it. That’s why the case is overseas and not in Lilongwe or Blantyre. This is why the evidence and the courts of UK is dealing with it. Because, Malawian government and high-ranking officials would safeguard and shield the man that is feeding them. They are eating additional feasts because of his “generosity” which is on the back-end was giving him favourable terms to trade and operate in the Republic.

The scandal of Sattar only shows how deep this went. It is only showing what sort of leverage and at such a alarming rate he could get into the web of the state. That’s why the President fears his name and won’t even mention it. However, mentions the case in question, but not the man behind it all. Like it is a swear-word or a crime to even say it out loud. That is saying something.

Chakwera is afraid of mentioning Sattar. A Head of State is worried about speaking of and entertain the idea of the practices committed by one businessman. That says a lot about this case and how the preacher has failed to live up to his promises. Peace.

Malawi: Sattar’s invisible hand is getting exposed…

“Vice President, Saulos Chilima, former ACB director, Reyneck Matemba, police IG George Kainja, lawyer, Mwambi Kaluba and government procurement chairperson, John Suzi Banda, have been named in court affidavits in the Zuneth Sattar case as suspected beneficiaries of fraud. The affidavit in a London court, is based on what it called evidence collected to demonstrate Sattar’s influence and corruption in Malawi. President Lazarus Chakwera is not named in the affidavits but his Chief of Staff, Prince Harvey Kapondamgaga. The affidavit also provides insight into alleged corruption behind three multi-billion contracts signed with the Malawi government under both the Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera administrations between 2019 and 2021. Full story is on PIJ Malawi Facebook page” (Zodiak Online, 27.05.2022).

The man, the myth and the legend get revealed in court documents. At this point this shouldn’t shock people in Lilongwe or Blantyre. That the investor and businessman Zuneth Sattar have a web of deceit and of profit, which has been viable and possible, because of his connections over the years. That’s why his been untouchable and been able to gain such marketable and profitable enterprises in the Republic.

This is the superior grand corruption case, a state capture of which one man has influenced and enriched himself. While ensuring the greater patronage of the state has been served and gotten a piece of the pie. That’s why he hasn’t faced prosecution or legal problems in Malawi. Since, the high-ranking officials has been connected to him and earned their cut. This has not only happened in the Tonse Alliance, but also during the previous administration.

Here is on report from yesterday in connection too it:

“The Daily Times understands that Sattar approached the court to vary his bail conditions following his arrest on March 25 upon his return from Malawi. The sources told The Daily Times that lawyer from the National Crime Agency (NCA) Chris Convey told the court that Sattar had left the UK on March 11 and arrived in Malawi on March 15 where he is suspected to have contacted some of the government officials to destroy evidence and defeat the aims of justice. The source also said the lawyer further told the court that through recordings that the NCA has presented in court as part of the evidence, Sattar had interacted with at least nine government officials including one sitting Cabinet minister” (Rebecca Chimjeka – ‘Govt officials in Sattar case’ 26.05.2022, Times 360 Malawi).

We knew earlier in the year that he had suction and had vast influence since cases never gotten anywhere. The companies owned by Sattar was “untouchable” and he had powerful players within government to play along with. That is very obvious by the United Kingdom investigation and court trial. As the documents are showing how far his reach is and who he got on “speed-dial”. Just the mere reach and possibility of being in connection with such people. Shows what sort of power, greed and graft has on people.

Sattar is just showing why he never got touched in the first place. Because who would dare to double-cross a man who is in the pockets of the former President’s administration and who is in association with the Vice-President and inner circle of the current President. That’s why he had to be indicted and charged overseas. Since, they wouldn’t dare to do this in Lilongwe or in Blantyre.

No matter how you look at it. This is far from the look that President Chakwera wants or his VP Chilima. They are both connected with the case and implicated in the corruption that is investigated in the United Kingdom. That’s not what anyone wants on their name or reign.

Sattar seems to be the kingpin and the businessman who was able to run from the law in Malawi but isn’t able to do so in London. Peace

Opinion: Half of a yearly budget wasted on corruption… and its annually [not a one of a kind grand corruption scheme]

According to a report, Uganda loses at least UGX 20 trillion annually to corruption. The Inspector-General of Government, Beti Kamya, told journalists that if at least half of that money (UGX 10 trillion) was saved per year, each parish would be able to get UGX 1 billion under the Parish Development Model” (NBS Television, 21.04.2022).

In Kampala this should haunt the institutions, the ministries and shake the whole Entebbe State House. If not both Kololo and Nakasero should be frightened by this report. That was if the rulers and the representatives was afraid of black-lash or ramifications of a report. A report that has such a vast result and damaging numbers, which could easily come to half of last years budget.

The last years budget was 44 Trillion Shillings in the budget year of 2021/22 and the estimates for 2022/23 is about 47 Trillions Shillings. With that in mind the corruption is about half of that one too. The numbers are staggering and isn’t only showing a little flex. No, the numbers are showing that it’s the norm. The corruption is a fact of life and way of living.

It doesn’t matter what authorities, bodies and mechanisms the state has… when half the budget can be siphoned, stolen or vanish without a trace. “Missing Funds” is a proverb in the vocabulary for a reason. It wouldn’t be a proverb and words of wisdom, as ghosts and fake tenders appears on a regular basis. Paying for projects only on paper and teachers who has never had a class in up-country.

Yes, there is a reason for all of this. The money is eaten and nothing to show for it. Except some spoiled brats big parties and SUVs for the ruling elite. They also can afford to rent jets to get medical treatment abroad. While hospitals are falling part, schools not having equipment and teacher being a boda-boda rider on the side. That’s all, because the state doesn’t’ have the funds or the allocated resources to finance these entities.

However, it has money for vanity projects of the President and his inner-circle. They have money for businesses, farms and whatever in need. They got money to pay-off opposition turned yellow and brighten a road for an official visit from a far-away land. Nevertheless, not enough to splash on vital institutions or government entities. That’s why UMEME is running black-outs and far to the nearest water-tap in region of your liking.

That’s why I am not shocked that the money goes missing. It is half a yearly budget wasted, gone missing and not being where it should be. Half a yearly budget eaten by corrupt bureaucrats and high ranking officials. This is done yearly and shows at what extent. It isn’t CHOGM money or GAVI funds of Muhwezi. No, this a yearly enterprise and planned efforts. Like someone is just taking the money van from the Bank of Uganda and directing to whoever it was designated without any receipts or transactional documents to show for it. The money was just taken away and “given” to whomever it was decreed to and that’s the end of it.

20 Trillion Shilling yearly or $5,662,905,997.73 US Dollars. That’s over 5 billion 662 million U.S. Dollars squandered and gone away to pay off whoever and for whatever reason. Which is not useful and is never received where it was intended to be… That’s 5 billion USD gone in the wind…

This is numbers that are staggering and outrageous. It is just really insane, but it shows what sort of government that is crippling the state and it’s for a reason there is no service delivery. The state got no money, since it is either siphoned or they are paying debts. There is little money to pay for things after that… that makes sense and is tragic. This is the nation that Museveni built. Peace.

Malawi: Malawi Police Service Fighting Corruption within its ranks (14.04.2022)

Sri Lanka: Ministry of Finance – Interim Policy Regarding the Servicing of Sri Lanka’s External Public Debt (12.04.2022)

Bar Association of Sri Lanka: Statement of the Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on the Ongoing Protests (05.04.2022)

Student Christian Movement of the Philippines: 203 billion reasons to reject plunderer Marcos (01.04.2022)

Opinion: Babalanda don’t know her own party…

Many of us who are leaders have failed to read, let alone internalise the four chore principles of NRM and as a consequence, we have become lazy yet we could do things right. These principles and guidelines by President Museveni as the NRM chairperson is the gospel that leads us. These principles are patriotism, Pan Africanism, economic transformation and democracy” (… ) “We are dealing with unpatriotic leaders. It is a betrayal of the great revolution” (…) “However the President’s office has made headways in spreading the message of patriotism. In this period we have had so many trainings conducted in this direction. I urge you the committee members to embrace patriotism and renounce acts of theft, negligence and violence” – The Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda (Franklin Draku – ‘Corrupt leaders betraying NRM revolution – minister’ 17.03.2022, Daily Monitor).

We know that these sort of words are often said by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. He has spoken of it and lectured about it. This is the sort of typical topics of the President. These sorts of themes are common. So, that the Minister of Presidency is spelling it out isn’t surprising. She said it herself, there been plenty of trainings, conferences and at other venues.

That honourable Babalanda is saying these things aren’t shocking or anything. It is more repeating what Museveni has been saying. While that is fine and dandy, the National Resistance Movement and the regime isn’t directly working for all of these principals. Neither is it working to stop people from thieving, negligence of office or stopping violence. All of these three things are done by the NRM on a regular basis.

The Minister should just look into the cabinet and appointees, which happens to be NRM members. This is all going from the State House to the Local Governments. It is like Bablanda should just look into Muhwezi or anyone else for that matter. There are several of candidates that has been spewing violence and thriving on it. That is going from the top and the fear is what keeping the NRM alive it seems.

This is why Babalanda is saying the right things. However, she is oblivious to this fact. That is very clear or she’s looking sideways. It is funny that she says these things are unpatriotic. While she could deem these things are about her close associates and allies. The ones in her midst who is eating of the plate of the government and who is using their role to enrich themselves. People came into power piss-poor, but leaving this life richer than King Salomon. So, I am just sneezing, as the scandals and the lost funds doesn’t disappear. Neither does the reports of paying ghosts and not following protocol in concern to public tenders. Therefore, the Minister should look into that as well.

We know these sorts of statements are the sort of way of boosting yourself and trying to be vibrant. It is the sort of saying all the rights things, but we know these won’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Not like she will push the President or anyone else with a high ranking position. There are plenty who has committed these sins, but never had to atone for them.

That’s why it’s really spicy to call it unpatriotic to do it. Because, that implies the members and high ranking official who does this isn’t in accordance with their patriotic duties. All of us know that those things are bad, but the NRM thrives on it and get loyal leaders to commit to it. Therefore, we know the words of the Minister isn’t really true.

It is a nice sentiment, but it is like throwing stones in a glass-house. Not a good look, but a look it is. Peace.