Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LILONGWE341
2005-04-21 06:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:
MALAWI SCORES FIRST BIG CORRUPTION WIN
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000341
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S ADRIENNE GALANEK
STATE PLEASE PASS TO MCC/KEVIN SABA
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OMA FRANCES CHISHOLM
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF LINDA SPECHT
TREASURY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/AFRICA/BEN CUSHMAN
JOHANNESBURG FOR FCS
MCC FOR KEVIN SABA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KCOR PREL KMCA MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI SCORES FIRST BIG CORRUPTION WIN
REF: 2004 LILONGWE 1110
-------
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000341
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S ADRIENNE GALANEK
STATE PLEASE PASS TO MCC/KEVIN SABA
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OMA FRANCES CHISHOLM
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF LINDA SPECHT
TREASURY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/AFRICA/BEN CUSHMAN
JOHANNESBURG FOR FCS
MCC FOR KEVIN SABA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KCOR PREL KMCA MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI SCORES FIRST BIG CORRUPTION WIN
REF: 2004 LILONGWE 1110
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. The mayor of Blantyre, Malawi's largest city, was
convicted of theft yesterday. The Blantyre Magistrate's
Court sentenced John Chikakwiya to three years in prison for
stealing MK400,000 ($3,700) of funds solicited from a local
merchant for city road repairs. This is the first conviction
of a major political figure since President Bingu wa
Mutharika's anti-corruption campaign began nearly a year ago.
--------------
A MULUZI LOYALIST AND UDF BIGWIG
--------------
2. Chikakwiya is among the most loyal supporters of former
President Bakili Muluzi in his ongoing political battles with
Mutharika. In addition to being mayor of Blantyre,
Chikakwiya is the United Democratic Front's (UDF) regional
governor for the Southern Region, the country's most populous
and the party's home territory. Mutharika quit the UDF
earlier this year to form the Democratic Progressive Party,
the split arising from UDF's tolerance for corruption and
Muluzi's efforts to control the government through the party.
3. Significantly, Chikakwiya was indicted by the Director of
Public Prosecutions rather than the Anti Corruption Bureau,
and he was convicted of theft rather than corrupt practices.
This means that the Bureau, and the newly overhauled Corrupt
Practices Act, have yet to prove themselves. But the
presiding magistrate went out of his way in the court
pronouncement to say that he would have convicted Chikakwiya
for abuse of office had he not convicted under the more
serious charge of theft.
--------------
NICE TIMING
--------------
4. The conviction comes just as the donors and opposition
were beginning to express scepticism over the seriousness--or
competence--of Mutharika's anti-corruption campaign. Only
days before, the British high commissioner was widely quoted
as saying there has not been much to show for the fight
against corruption. And as Muluzi's loyalists have cried
persecution, other opposition parties have openly accused
Mutharika of shielding UDFers from past crimes in exchange
for political loyalty. The only other big case to come to
trial, that of Humphrey Mvula, ended last month with
acquittal on a legal technicality.
5. Despite its failure to get convictions in big corruption
cases, the administration appears to have been working
quietly to remove opportunities for corruption. The Ministry
of Finance has been implementing improved financial controls
and procurement procedures in the line ministries, and well
as dramatically tighter reporting requirements. In the past
week, the government has also announced that it has begun
reorganizing the boards of several parastatals in the
communications sector, including both television companies
and the communications regulatory authority. While these
measure do not grab headlines, they are likely to have a
substantive effect on waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. Chikakwiya's conviction is a qualified victory for
Mutharika's anti-corruption drive. On the one hand, it is
politically important, because it strikes at one of Muluzi's
closest political cronies. And it is the first major court
win for the president's legal team. On the other hand, ithe
offense was small compared with the multimillion-dollar
ministerial scandals involving unbuilt school buildings,
misappropriated famine relief, and fleets of overvalued
government vehicles. Added to which, the Chikakwiya case was
as easy a win as government prosecutors could expect,
Chikakwiya's being a particularly clumsy crime. The highest
profile cases, which will be much harder to prosecute and
about which the average Malawian harbors deep resentment, are
yet to come.
GILMOUR
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S ADRIENNE GALANEK
STATE PLEASE PASS TO MCC/KEVIN SABA
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OMA FRANCES CHISHOLM
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF LINDA SPECHT
TREASURY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/AFRICA/BEN CUSHMAN
JOHANNESBURG FOR FCS
MCC FOR KEVIN SABA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KCOR PREL KMCA MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI SCORES FIRST BIG CORRUPTION WIN
REF: 2004 LILONGWE 1110
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. The mayor of Blantyre, Malawi's largest city, was
convicted of theft yesterday. The Blantyre Magistrate's
Court sentenced John Chikakwiya to three years in prison for
stealing MK400,000 ($3,700) of funds solicited from a local
merchant for city road repairs. This is the first conviction
of a major political figure since President Bingu wa
Mutharika's anti-corruption campaign began nearly a year ago.
--------------
A MULUZI LOYALIST AND UDF BIGWIG
--------------
2. Chikakwiya is among the most loyal supporters of former
President Bakili Muluzi in his ongoing political battles with
Mutharika. In addition to being mayor of Blantyre,
Chikakwiya is the United Democratic Front's (UDF) regional
governor for the Southern Region, the country's most populous
and the party's home territory. Mutharika quit the UDF
earlier this year to form the Democratic Progressive Party,
the split arising from UDF's tolerance for corruption and
Muluzi's efforts to control the government through the party.
3. Significantly, Chikakwiya was indicted by the Director of
Public Prosecutions rather than the Anti Corruption Bureau,
and he was convicted of theft rather than corrupt practices.
This means that the Bureau, and the newly overhauled Corrupt
Practices Act, have yet to prove themselves. But the
presiding magistrate went out of his way in the court
pronouncement to say that he would have convicted Chikakwiya
for abuse of office had he not convicted under the more
serious charge of theft.
--------------
NICE TIMING
--------------
4. The conviction comes just as the donors and opposition
were beginning to express scepticism over the seriousness--or
competence--of Mutharika's anti-corruption campaign. Only
days before, the British high commissioner was widely quoted
as saying there has not been much to show for the fight
against corruption. And as Muluzi's loyalists have cried
persecution, other opposition parties have openly accused
Mutharika of shielding UDFers from past crimes in exchange
for political loyalty. The only other big case to come to
trial, that of Humphrey Mvula, ended last month with
acquittal on a legal technicality.
5. Despite its failure to get convictions in big corruption
cases, the administration appears to have been working
quietly to remove opportunities for corruption. The Ministry
of Finance has been implementing improved financial controls
and procurement procedures in the line ministries, and well
as dramatically tighter reporting requirements. In the past
week, the government has also announced that it has begun
reorganizing the boards of several parastatals in the
communications sector, including both television companies
and the communications regulatory authority. While these
measure do not grab headlines, they are likely to have a
substantive effect on waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. Chikakwiya's conviction is a qualified victory for
Mutharika's anti-corruption drive. On the one hand, it is
politically important, because it strikes at one of Muluzi's
closest political cronies. And it is the first major court
win for the president's legal team. On the other hand, ithe
offense was small compared with the multimillion-dollar
ministerial scandals involving unbuilt school buildings,
misappropriated famine relief, and fleets of overvalued
government vehicles. Added to which, the Chikakwiya case was
as easy a win as government prosecutors could expect,
Chikakwiya's being a particularly clumsy crime. The highest
profile cases, which will be much harder to prosecute and
about which the average Malawian harbors deep resentment, are
yet to come.
GILMOUR