Perm Sec fails to justify why Govt rehired CMED MD accused of defrauding the company of $2,7 million

Transport ministry permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa failed to justify why his ministry had lifted the suspension of CMED managing director David Mhaka who is accused of defrauding the fuel company of $2,7 million in a botched fuel importation deal, although he is yet to be cleared by the courts.

The legislators from the Parliamentary portfolio committee on transport wanted to know why Munodawafa, as the permanent secretary, had allowed the Transport minister Joram Gumbo to re-engage a suspected fraudster. Munodawafa said the question was unfair since the appointment of chairs and board members of parastatals is the duty of ministers in consultation with their principals.

When Mhaka appeared before MPs this February, he was asked to furnish the committee with the report from the commission of inquiry launched by his parent ministry. He allegedly told the legislators that he would ask the secretary to sanction the sharing. Munodawafa said Mhaka, who had not actually told him about the legislators’ request, should have instead told them to wait for the court process to conclude.