Umodzi Party (UP) President Professor John Chisi has saluted opposition People’s Party (PP) Interim President Uladi Mussa for demonstrating a heart of patriotism by handing himself to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to clear his name in the passport-gate scandal.
PP Interim President is being accused of abusing his office when he was Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security by directly being involved in the issuing of passport to22 Burundians, 16 Rwandese, nine Ugandans and three Tanzanian nationals.
He was arrested on Monday together with ex-Assistant Chief Immigration Officer David Kuanjana.
PP General Secretary Ibrahim Matola described the arrest of Mussa as a political witch-hunt by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aiming at silencing critics.
“They want people to start talking about the arrest of honourable Mussa. This government is sick, they are thieves,” he retorted.
Matola said People’s Party would not allow the government to twist people’s minds on important issues just for political gain.
“Chaponda was found with huge sums of money between his legs, under pillows, under bed, everywhere, that is what people should be talking now,” he said.
When asked to comment on the matter, Chisi who is also a lecturer at College of Medicine (CoM) hailed Mussa for taking a bold step in handing himself to ACB, saying “that’s being patriotic.”
“Honestly speaking Mussa has set a very good example for all of us Malawians and our brothers in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).It’s time to put into practice the Patriotism and Integrity advocated by President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.
“I hope the fired Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. George Chaponda and ADMARC CEO Foster Mulumbe will follow suit,” said Chisi.
He added: “This is our country and let us all join hands in fighting corruption.”
The cash stashed in suitcases at Chaponda’s residence reminded Malawians of the biggest corruption scandal called ‘Cashgate’ which involved fraudulent government payments for services not rendered and for “ghost pensions” to fictional government retirees.
