…to still pay Techno Bain K30 billion
…No cheaper replacement identified
The Head of Immigration and Citizenship Brigdier General Charles Kalumo (RtD) fell short of calling Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda reckless when he told Parliament that government will still pay K30 billion to Techno Bain Ltd for the cancelled contract
Kalumo said there is no cheaper alternative forcing government to swallow its pride and kneel for the cancelled contractor to supply passports.
Chakaka Nyirenda who came on a populist platform questioning some of the decisions of his predecessors, said he was horrified with the cost of passports contract and he would find someone cheaper.
The Attorney General who has become a poster figure of legal comedy of errors cancelled the contract in 2021 and since then he has failed to replace the supplier and Malawians are again paying for his wrong decisions.
Malawians have failed to travel for medical, school and others have lost jobs opportunities as they could not access the vital travel document.
Others in diaspora have had no passports to renew their visas.
Kalumo said government has been renegotiating with the same supplier who will be paid K30 billion for a 344,000 passports which it hopes will stabilise the supply.
“We could not find any one cheaper after the contract was cancelled,” Kalumo told Malawis Parliament Committees on Defence and Security and International Relations.
This would raise questions on the capacity of the Attorney General whose capacity for the office is being questioned.
