The office of the Ombudsman has nullified 16 employment contracts of officials of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) officials, stating the contracts are illegal.

Ombudsman Martha Chizuma has said that former Macra director generals (DGs) Godfrey Itaye and Henry Shamu alongside other directors and managers, are unlawful recruitments. The directive will see Shamu and Itaye lose their terminal benefits, and if their benefits were already paid, the Ombudsman ordered that they should be reclaimed.

Last month the office of the Ombudsman launched investigations into irregularities of the recruitments at various parastatals and departments like the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) and Roads Authority (RA), among others.