Rail Project Hangs Former PS On ACB Ladder

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested former Ministry of Transport and Public Works principal secretary, Patrick Zimpita for allegedly abusing his office in the awarding of the Bangula-Marka railway project to Mota-Engil.

Zimpita’s arrest follows that of the ministry ’s chief procurement officer Michael Mbewe on April 19 this year for allegedly publishing a notification of intention to award a contract before approval from Government Contracting Unit (GCU).

In a statement yesterday, ACB principal public relations officer Egritta Ndala said the bureau received a complaint on September 3, 2021 alleging that the process to award the contract flouted procedures.

Ndala said a ‘no objection’ to award the contract to Mota-Engil was issued without the knowledge of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA).

“Investigations revealed that Patrick Zimpita in or around August 2021 being employed as a public officer as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, abused his office by instructing Michael Mbewe to draft and advertise notification of intention to award a contract to Mota Engil without the approval of Government Contracts Unit.

“Zimpita is reasonably suspected of having committed the offence of misuse of public office contrary to Section 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and neglect of official duty contrary to Section 121 of the Penal Code.” Reads the ACB Statement.

She stated that the bureau took Zimpita to the Lilongwe Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where he was granted bail.

In 2020, President Lazarus Chakwera and his Mozambican counterpart Felipe Nyusi agreed to revive the railway line between the two countries, which is Malawi’s shortest route to the port of Beira following the signed memorandum of understanding in May 2021 to have the project completed by March 2022.

While Mozambique has almost completed its stretch from Mutarara to Marka , Malawi is yet to complete its 72-kilometre stretch from Marka to Bangula a year after the set deadline expired due to procurement wrangles.