A data analysis by local newspaper, Malawi News, says that the Auditor General’s report shows that taxpayers’ money over K100 billion has been lost due to corruption and fraudulent payments made from public funds in government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) from the last five annual audit reports.

According to the audits, the sum of K100 billion was abused from 2013 to 2019, meaning that on average, the country is losing about K20 billion every year due to corruption and cartels fuelled by leaky government processes.

Last year, at the start of an orientation workshop for members of the Public Accounts Committee (Pac), the Chairperson of Pac, Ken Kandodo, has said corruption remains rampant in the country. By law, Pac is authorized as a watchdog over public expenditure, as its chairperson has acknowledged that corruption is still rampant in this country. “Same companies being awarded contracts; ever-increasing number of audit queries across all ministries, departments and agencies and of the never-ending and never-closing ‘gates’ through which we are losing public financial resources. This is the task before us and we must be geared to play our role,” Kandodo said.