By Brenda Kayo & Mercy Matonga:
UTM leader Dalitso Kabambe has dismissed Tobacco Commission (TC) and Auction Holdings Limited (AHL)’s claims that his security detail disrupted trading activities when the politician toured Chinkhoma Auction Floors on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Kabambe toured the tobacco market, a decision that has not gone down well with TC and AHL officials who, in two separate statements, have described the move as a violation of Section 98 of the Tobacco Industry Act (2024).
According to the AHL statement, an advance UTM team got to Chinkhoma Auction Floors around 11.30am on June 17, 2025, when it allegedly indicated that their president would visit the floors on his way to Kasungu.
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The letter says AHL staff advised the team to seek clearance from TC.
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However, the commission claims that the piece of advice was not adhered to.
“Contrary to the advised protocol, Dr Kabambe’s security detail violently roughed up our security team and forcibly entered Chinkhoma Floors. In the process of the fracas, one AHL tobacco sales security officer sustained an injury on the arm.
“No AHL staff conducted them through the Floors,” a statement from AHL reads.
AHL says it “unreservedly and strongly condemns” the former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor, his security detail and the rest of his team “for such acts of violence and lawlessness on our premises”.
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AHL Board Chairperson Daniel Makata confirmed issuing the statement.
On its part, TC said, in a statement issued yesterday, that it was concerned with the act by the UTM leader and its members.
It accuses them of disrupting tobacco sales.
TC spokesperson Telephorus Chigwenembe told The Daily Times that Kabambe and some party members arrived at Chinkhoma to access the floors without authorisation from, as required, TC.
He said such kind of visits were a breach of Section 98 of the Tobacco industry Act, which states that it is an offence to interfere with market operations.
“Consistent with this requirement, the Tobacco Commission would like to remind all members of the public that access to tobacco floors during any selling season is restricted to growers selling their crop on a particular day, tobacco buyers and other stakeholders duly authorised by the commission.
“This is aimed at bringing order to the marketing of the crop,” Chigwenembe said.
However, Kabambe, during a press briefing he organised during the evening of yesterday, denied the allegations.
He said at the time of his visit, there was no disruption because he only went there to observe tobacco prices, noting that tobacco is grown by Malawians.
“I wish those who reported the matter could tell what exactly happened. No one was touched; neither was there any commotion. There was media and those ones can tell what really happened,” Kabambe said.
He also expressed disappointment that the government appeared unwilling to allow opposition voices in the country, as it allegedly restricts access to public spaces for people with differing views.
“Our space, as opposition, keeps on shrinking. We have been denied [a chance] to go to places such as public universities to host lectures, especially public ones. Even MBC [Malawi Broadcasting Corporation] only covers the government, which seem doesn’t want us anywhere,” Kabambe said.
On the prices of tobacco, Kabambe said it was surprising that buying prices for tobacco in the country were low while international prices were high—despite the same buyers exporting the tobacco at higher rates.
“The buyers sell our tobacco on the international market at prices higher than they are buying it here. Farmers, who do a lot of work, do not benefit even from the forex that is being generated as government is misusing it by buying cars and making unnecessary trips,” Kabambe said.
He called for an investigation into prices of farm inputs, especially fertiliser, arguing that fertiliser prices had not increased on the international market.
He added that if UTM gets into power, it would implement policies that ensure that the country’s wealth benefits Malawians—particularly tobacco farmers, who he described as being among the main contributors of foreign exchange earnings
