Concerned Citizens demand Government New Passport Contract Cancellation

Concerned Citizens of Malawi has demanded attorney general, Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda to cancel government’s decision to award a $29.9 million (K52 billion) passport printing to Madras Security Printers Private Limited of India.

According to a statement signed by their leaders Edward Kambanje and Oliver Nakoma the contract lacks accountability as Public Procurement and Disposal Authority PPDA, Attorney General’s office and Anti-corruption Bureau are failing to confirm proper oversight.

Kambanje and Nakoma say that if not urgently reconsidered, Malawi risks wasting billions of kwacha, compromising national security and further eroding public trust in government institutions.

They say by awarding the contract to Madras Security Printers, Malawi risks repeating the same mistakes this time with a company that has an even worse track record of failures and scandals.

In February 2024, the $60.8 million passport printing contract with Techno Brain system mysteriously crashed but President Lazarus Chakwera attributing it to an alleged cyber attack by “digital mercenaries” demanding ransom.