Malawi's energy minister arrested over fuel tender scam
Tuesday August 10 2021
Malawi Energy Minister Newton Kambala and the president's senior advisor Chris Chaima Banda have been arrested over fuel tender scandal. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
Malawi's anti-corruption police on Monday announced the arrest of Energy Minister Newton Kambala, accused of trying to bribe officials in a fuel-purchase deal for the landlocked country.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau said its investigations had revealed that the minister had "attempted to influence" the National Oil Company of Malawi to award multi-million dollar fuel supply contracts to three companies.
President Lazarus Chakwera's senior advisor, Chris Chaima Banda, was also arrested.
Kambala is chairman of vice president Saulos Chilima's United Transformation Movement, a coalition partner of Chakwera's Malawi Congress Party.
Chakwera, who came to power on promises of fighting corruption, in April fired his Labour minister Ken Kandodo for diverting $800 worth of Covid-19 funds to pay for a government trip to South Africa.
Malawi is one of the world's poorest countries.