By Owen Khamula
Malawi Law Society of Malawi (MLS) has sharply criticised embattled Agriculture minister George Chaponda for his regionalism and tribalistic remarks over his maizegate scandal.
In a statement, the MLS secretary general Khumbo Soko warns Chaponda against dragging regionalism and tribalism into the maizegate saga.
“These remarks are divisive,” says Soko.
Chaponda told the parliamentary inquiry on maizegate that he was a target on maizegate because he was from the south.
The Agriculture minister also wondered on Capital FM radio recently why his cabinet colleague, Finance minister Goodall Gondwe was not a target yet he was involved in the procurement of the maize from Zambia.
But the MLS says such remarks have potential to divide the country further.
Gondwe says his involvement in the procurement of the maize was minimal as it was through the Reserve Bank of Malawi which provided Letters of Credit to Admarc to enable the state grain dealers buy the Zambia maize.
However, the presidential commission of inquiry on maizegate and the parliamentary joint Committee on maizegate found the conduct of Chaponda in his dealings with Transglobe most inappropriate, suspicious and raising issues of corrupt practices.
Meanwhile, the ministry of Agriculture is calling on staff to return to work at the ministry headquarters at Capital Hill on Monday.
The ministry, in a paid press release aired on radios, says electricity has now been restored at their offices.
This follows a raging fire which destroyed the offices of Chaponda, his secretary and ministry of Agriculture secretary Erica Maganga leaving other offices in the dark without electricity.
Some sections of society described the fire as an act of arson attack to conceal evidence in the maizegate saga as the Anti Corruption Bureau is moving in to investigate the minister further.
However Chaponda has denied this, saying if he would have concealed evidence when the two inquiries were investigating him.