By Esther Manduwa
Ombudsman Martha Chizuma has said the appointment of Godfrey Itaye as Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) Director General (DG) in 2015 was illegal and irregular citing those who facilitated his hiring were not mandated to do so.
Chizuma said this when she was presenting findings of an investigation into allegations of abuse of office by Godfrey Itaye the former Macra Director General. The report was titled ‘Secure Deception.’
“The whole process of hiring Itaye was a mockery and a maladministration,” Said Chizuma.
One of the individuals who facilitated Itaye’s hiring was Mr Zangazanga Chikhosi who was the then Malawi Statutory Cooperation Chief.
Chizuma highlighted that most recruitments at Macra were based on nepotism, regionalism and party affiliations.
The Ombudsman has also faulted the appointment of Godfrey Itaye as Post Master General of Posts Cooperation saying it was also illegal at it did not involve the minister of information as the law stipulates.
Chizuma has since nullified all Itaye’s contracts including the current one. She has also directed Macra’s Board not to pay Itaye any benefit and that if they already paid him they should get the benefits back.
She has also directed the Board to fill the position of DG at Macra.
Chizuma has also nullified the recruitment of Mr Timothy Sukali as Macra’s Director of Postal Services saying he is not qualified for the job because he does not have right papers.
Director of Economic Regulation at Macra, Ruth Gwede has also faced the exit door as the Ombudsman has nullified her recruitment on suspicion of questionable erasing of scores as she nearly got 100 percent. In addition she does not have ICT background which was a requirement.
Chizuma also revealed that her office is working on reports of Maladministration at Tobacco Control Commission (TTC) and Blantyre Water Board (BWB).
