The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has written the chairperson of the legal affairs committee of parliament to summon the immediate past attorney general of Malawi Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda to explain the status of US$309.6 billion claim that he filed against Nyala Mines Limited over operations at Chimwazulu Nyala Mines Limited in Ntcheu.
The statement has come following the report by the Mining and Minerals Regulatory Authority (MMRA), in response to the organisations’ request for transparency in as far as the mining activities were concerned.
In March this year, CDEDI asked the authority to provide information on the Mining contracts signed, the minerals confiscated and the amount of gold bought by the reserve bank of Malawi.
In a Tuesday statement signed by CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI want the attorney general to disclose to the committee how the US$309.6 billion claim was calculated, disclose total funding secured for the case, and provide details of payments made to the hired legal team.
CDEDI also demanded an update on the current status of the case, stressing that Malawians deserve clarity on the matter, especially amid ongoing foreign exchange challenges affecting the country’s economy.
The organisation noted that Nyala Mines Limited reportedly operated at Chimwazulu Mine between 2008 and 2017, during which it was expected to remit MK51.6 million annually but only paid MK 604, 413 to the Malawi Revenue Authority.
On Monday, the CDEDI executive director told radio Islam that much needs to be done for the country to start benefiting from minerals and mining projects, highlighting that the country has been losing a lot despite having so many mineral beneath.
He therefore said that there are so many areas in the mining sector that need to be scrutinized if Malawians were to benefit from the minerals.
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