Malawi President’s Ally Quits Over Graft Concerns

An adviser and a key ally of Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera has announced he is stepping down from his two positions.

This comes due to concerns over corruption in government.

Mr. Maurice Munthali said he was quitting from his two positions as the president’s special adviser on peace, reconciliation, and national unity and as the spokesman for the governing Malawi Congress Party, MCP.

In two separate letters, he said he was resigning from the positions after deeply and prayerfully reflecting on his role in a “governance atmosphere marred by persistent corruption allegations and scandals.”

Mr. Munthali accused the MCP of failing to provide “the type of leadership and direction that would meet the hopes of all Malawians for a better life”.

Report says within days of his resignation, a member of Mr. Chakwera’s youth wing, Emmanuel Mwanyongo, announced he was leaving the party as well as his role as a board member for the National Youth Council of Malawi.

Mr. Mwanyongo had been seen by many as a rising star in the party.

While earlier this month, Kamuzu Chibambo, the president of one of the nine parties in the governing alliance also announced his party’s withdrawal from the alliance over allegations of corruption.

President Chakwera has not commented on Wednesday’s resignation, but his party issued a statement in which it said it was ‘saddened’ by the development.

It added that the former party spokesman should take any evidence he may have to institutions involved in the fight against graft.

Mr. Chakwera was elected as president in June 2020 promising to fight corruption when his party led an alliance of nine political parties that defeated former president Peter Mutharika.

However, his tenure has been tainted by numerous corruption scandals, which have seen several senior officials of his administration, some very close to him, being indicted.

BBC/Christopher Ojilere