Malawi's energy minister arrested over fuel tender scam
Newton Kambala
What you need to know:
- Malawi is one of the world's poorest countries.
- President Lazarus Chakwera's senior advisor Chris Chaima Banda, was also arrested
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.
