“We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the Government of Malawi, which will have brought, in total, more than $747 million worth of transformative projects to the country once the infrastructure projects from our latest program are complete,” said Albright. The Malawi Transport and Land Compact, which includes an additional $26.5 million contribution from the Government of Malawi, is designed to reduce transport costs by upgrading more than 300 kilometers of roads to connect farmers to markets and by strengthening the country’s land administration. Like all MCC endeavors, these projects will be transparent, they will be collaborative, and built to meet the highest standards of quality.” “ that builds on our close collaboration over decades, our shared democratic values, and the joint vision for a prosperous, stable, resilient Malawi…Malawi will take the lead on putting these plans into action. “This agreement opens a new chapter in the partnership between the United States and Malawi,” said Secretary Blinken, who is the Chair of MCC’s Board of Directors. MCC Chief Executive Officer Alice Albright and the Malawi Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Alfred Gwengwe served as signatories for the compact. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Malawi. and Malawi today to sign the Malawi Transport and Land Compact - a $350 million infrastructure grant between the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the President of Malawi Lazarus Chakwera joined nearly 100 leaders from the U.S. Blinken Hosts President Chakwera to Sign $350M Infrastructure GrantĮmail: left: Malawi Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Alfred Gwengwe, President of Malawi Lazarus Chakwera, MCC CEO Alice Albright, U.S. Speaking in July 2022 during a national anti-corruption conference, Chakwera said he was satisfied with the route his administration had taken in the fight against corruption.Įven so, Nankhumwa, the opposition leader, tells The Africa Report: “None of those suspects in the president’s inner circle have faced the law they are all working as per …for the administration.” He says he believes Chakwera has lost control of the fight against corruption.Sec. The ministry of information released a statement in response, stating that Malawi is a sovereign country hence the government had a right to act as it deems fit.Ĭhakwera, well known for his breathtaking speeches and American accent, has been preaching zero tolerance to corruption since he assumed power in 2020.ĭespite his public pronouncements, however, several officials in Chakwera’s administration are being investigated on suspected corruption charges. “These recent actions undermine the credibility of the government of Malawi’s stated commitment to fight against corruption.” “We have actively engaged senior government officials to seek renewed commitment to the fight against corruption, but those efforts have not yielded results,” said a statement from the US embassy in Lilongwe. Malawi’s bilateral donors, led by the US and Norway, have condemned the Chakwera administration for losing focus on the larger picture and instead wasting time and state resources to fight Chizuma. Meanwhile, President Chakwera had made several pronouncements that his administration was fully behind the ACB chief and that there would be no reprisals for the said leaked audio. Malawi’s Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda – to the surprise of many Malawians – hired private lawyers to dismiss the restraining order obtained by the MLS. We have actively engaged senior government officials to seek renewed commitment to the fight against corruption, but those efforts have not yielded results The charges against Chizuma angered the donor community while the Malawi Law Society (MLS) moved swiftly to obtain a court order restraining the government from carrying through the indictment. “In some cases, President Chakwera actually appeared to have been aiding and abetting corruption through cursory attention to allegations levelled against people who have surrounded him,” Kondwani Nankhumwa, the leader of opposition in parliament, tells The Africa Report. Chakwera’s critics say he has flip-flopped on his decisions on whether to retain the head of the ACB or allow other forces to hang the renowned anti-corruption champion.
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