By Isaac Salima:
The Office of the Ombudsman has cancelled the recruitment of 10 officers at the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) due to alleged irregularities in their hiring.
This follows a complaint received by the office from some anonymous concerned citizens.
A report signed by Ombudsman Grace Malera indicates that in 2021 the office received a complaint from anonymous people who had concerns about the recruitment of staff at MRA’s Remote Resolutions Call Centre.
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Malera says in the report that the complainants alleged some senior officials at MRA handpicked the recruited staff without advertising the positions.
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The report further says that the complainants alleged the recruited members were linked to some executive members.
The hired staff members were Chikumbutso Tambulasi, Constance Ganiza, Christina Jimu, Faith Ndawala, Vanessa Mkwate, Winter Chiumia, Emmanuel Banda, Sungeni Mangulama, Edgar Mpelepele and Symon Maguru.
In its determination, the Office of the Ombudsman found the recruitment irregular, unprocedural and unlawful.
“The management of MRA should immediately proceed to effect attendant administrative action as if the recruitment and appointment of the concerned individuals… as call centre agents, in fact never happened and did not take place,” it says.
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The findings criticised MRA for not advertising the position of Call Centre Agent, saying it was irregular and unprocedural and amounted to maladministration.
“The respondent MRA disseminated information on the vacancy for the Call Centre Agent position by word of mouth, contrary to both MRA’s recruitment and selection policies and the provisions of the Public Service Act,” it says.
However, the report found that the recruited members underwent an interview process.
The findings also recommend that MRA management should forfeit payment of any terminal benefits for the nullified members as they do not have legitimate expectations since their recruitment was illegal.
According to the report, 21 individuals attended the interviews and 10 were successful.
However, one of the successful candidates has since passed away.
SIGNED THE REPORT—Malera
