Francis Katsaila faults Kamlepo Kalua on Indian investor

Tom Sangala July 6, 2017

361 1 minute read

Foreign Affairs Minister, Francis Katsaila, has said he is unhappy with remarks by Rumphi East legislator, Kamlepo Kalua, who recently dragged the Cabinet minister into a matter involving an Indian investor who sought police protection.

Kalua on Friday expressed surprise as to why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accorded the investor, Chandrashekhar More, VIP treatment at Kamuzu International Airport in March, yet the Indian was persona non grata.

But Katsaila said Kalua had an ill motive when he dragged the minister and the ministry into the Indian investor issue, saying the maverick politician always targets cabinet ministers for his personal vendetta against the Cabinet.

“If he wanted correct information, he could have asked the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Finance. This issue came to me because the Honourable Member wants to tarnish my image.

“The Honourable Member has made a lot of allegations that he has damaging information against us [Cabinet ministers]. He should not be targeting individuals, he is abusing his parliamentary privileges because I have privileges too and no one can take them away from me,” he said.

He, however, said he could do nothing since Kalua has immunity in Parliament

Katsaila said in March that More had not been declared persona non grata, saying this was why he was allowed to come with his lawyer to finalise his case with the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).

“In March, More was not a prohibited immigrant. He became prohibited in May,” said Katsaila, denying that his ministry gave More VIP treatment at Kamuzu International Airport.

Finance Minister, Goodall Gondwe, refused to say whether More concluded his tax issue with the MRA, saying he did not have details.

Home Affairs Minister, Grace Chiumia, laughed off Kalua’s allegations, saying if a person has been declared prohibited, he cannot land at the country’s airports because his passport has been cancelled in the computer systems.

“At the Immigration, we do not have information that he was allowed in after he was deported,” said Chiumia.

Kalua said he did not target Katsaila or any other Cabinet minister but wanted to get answers on the issue from the government side, insisting he does not have a grudge against any of the Cabinet ministers.

More was deported last month just two days after he was arrested for jumping bail. He was initially arrested in 2015, in connection with tax evasion issues and left for India after being granted permission to travel while on bail.