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| National |
| More revelations of Bingu’s abuse of Comesa funds |
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by
Our Reporter, 07 May 2004
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12:58:09
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Common Market for Southern and East Africa (Comesa) secretariat staff could go without their salaries because of abuse of funds and office by the organisation’s former secretary general Bingu Mutharika.
A report of the special committee of eminent persons on the operations of Comesa from 1992 to 1997 indicated that Mutharika, who is the ruling UDF presidential candidate, advanced himself US$50,000 at the expense of staff going on without their salaries.
“On two occasions he advanced himself US$30,000 and US$20,000 respectively in contravention of staff and financial rules and regulations of Comesa at the expense of the staff going on without their salaries,” reads the report in part.
It also said the advance of US$30,000 was transferred to his wife’s account in Harare at the expense of Comesa which was charged ZMK51,400 for the bank transfer.
The report also said Mutharika also closed down the internal audit section which was headed by a qualified accountant with working experience in tax and audit areas.
“During 1994, the secretary general closed down the internal audit section and transferred the staff to other sections without reference to the Council. The closure of the section meant weaknesses and violations of the internal control system could occur and go unnoticed,” reads part of the report.
The committee also said it could not confirm whether travel and entertainment allowances Mutharika was taking for missions outside Zambia were utilised for the benefit of Comesa.
“The secretary general does not prepare reports summarising issues discussed and the recommended action plan on return from missions. A number of these missions were made to Zimbabwe and Malawi where the secretary general is known to have personal interests,” reads the report in part.
It also said Mutharika failed to promptly retire advances taken in contraventions of the staff rules and regulations.
Mutharika is said to have taken US$4,872 on a mission to COMSEC, UNDP, IMF, World Bank from September 21 to October 7 1996 and US$2,747 for a mission to Singapore on WTO meeting.
Bingu is also said to have taken from Comesa coffers US$1,537 for a mission to Malawi between January 5-10 in 1997 and US$941 for another mission between September 8 and 11 in 1996.
Between November 22-29 ,1996 Mutharika was on a mission to Nairobi to attend an Iron & Steel meeting and proceeded to Brussels and stashed US$1,642 and that was shortly before he took US$2,786 for a mission to Mozambique where he attended a governors meeting between November 7-16, 1996.
The report also said Mutharika got an advance of US$4,334.40 for a mission to Malawi, Swaziland and Namibia between October 13-27 in 1996.
There has been pressure from political parties and civil society for Mutharika to comment on the contents of the reports but he has kept mum.
President Bakili Muluzi told a campaign rally on Thursday in Blantyre that he was chairman of Comesa during that time and knows what happened.
Muluzi said Mutharika was a victim of office politics where some people wrote bad memos about Mutharika.
However, the report does not say anything on office politics or bad memos about Mutharika. |
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