Print this page

Mota Engil - Marka- Bangula Railway Probe to End by December

The country's graft busting body says it targets to conclude its investigation by early December, 2021 or before, into the award of a multibillion-kwacha contract to Mota Engil company to rehabilitate a railway line between Marka and Bangula in Nsanje by the Ministry of Transport.

ACB Principal Public Relations Officer, Egritta Ndala, told Zodiak Online that the investigation is still underway, saying the bureau is working in line with the restriction notice of 90 days, issued on September 3, 2021.

"The investigation is still underway, we have not yet concluded it and one thing that Malawians should also understand and appreciate is the fact that when we restricted the process, the restriction notice runs for 90 days which is three months,” she said.

"One thing people should know is that where procedures have not been followed it becomes a challenge because there are these complaints that come.

"So, we know that the process may not move according to plan but we still have to do it according to our mandate because there is a complaint, we have to attend to it. But Malawians need to be assured that the bureau is giving this the attention it deserves knowing that the project is of national importance," added Ndala.

In a statement released early last month, the graft busting body said the suspension of the award of the contract, followed a complaint from various civil rights groups that it botched some procedures.

Centre for Mindset Change Executive Director, Phillip Kamangira, one of those that protested the award of the contract, suspects corruption in the manner in which Mota Engil company, obtained a "No objection" hence the call for ACB's investigation.

However, Traditional Authority Chimombo of Nsanje, has been calling for a speedy investigation, saying the project is critical in addressing mobility challenges facing people in the Shire Valley district.

Read 2814 times
Login to post comments