Macra stuck with Itaye
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) is stuck with its former Director General Godfrey Itaye, paying him over K40 million in salary and other benefits befitting the position.
Malawi News investigations have uncovered that Itaye’s contract will expire in January 2022.
It had been reported that Macra was spending K120 million on three director generals but Macra’s Communications Manager Clara Ngwira said the authority does not have three Directors General.
“The current one is in an Acting position and Mr. Henry Shamu resigned. As far as we know, the former DG, Mr. Godfrey Itaye was transferred to Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) in May last year to finish his contract there.
“But due to some contractual matters, LWB did not f inalise his contract, making him revert to his Macra contract which was still valid,” she said.
Ngwira said Macra will follow the necessary procedures in hiring the next Director General.
“Hiring is done in accordance with the laws. It requires advertising for the position followed by interviews. Acting positions are administrative actions done in accordance with governing policies to fill in for a position while pending substantive recruitment. Macra Board will follow all necessary procedures in recruiting the next Macra DG,” she said.
Itaye refused to comment on the issue of contract and the perks involved.
“You do not ask such questions to the employee, ask the employer,” he said.
Itaye was appointed Director General by former president Peter Mutharika after assuming power in 2014.
In 2020, Itaye was re-assigned to the Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) where he served prior to his move to Macra.
Following that development, MPC Postmaster General Henry Shamu was appointed Macra’s DG, replacing Itaye at the regulator.
From MPC, Itaye was then deployed to Lilongwe Water Board where the board tried to redeploy him back to MPC where he was r ejected by MPC board.
In September last year, Itaye and two others, ex- Macra Accountant Ben Chitsonga and former Procurement Officer Joseph Ngalawa were arrested by Fiscal Police on matters related to fraud suspected to have happened during the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.
The three were arrested on September 1, 2020 on suspicion that they bought, using Macra funds, party regalia worth K8.5 million for the then governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) during the campaign period
However, in February this year when the three appeared at the Blantyre Resident Magistrate Court, they pleaded not guilty to the charges of fraud and abuse of office.
Meanwhile Macra’s Board of Directors appointed Henry Silika as Macra’s Acting Director General, replacing Shamu.
