I want to congratulate this brave lady who has just replaced the clerk of parliament in the name of Roosevelt Gondwe for her strong managerial skills.After telling our unlawful Mps off she is now at it with her corrupt and inefficient staff.Only if we had more of these ladies am sure the 30% ladder will not be a story.For your comments please read this quote:

Fraud at Parliament Internal Procurement Committee in allowance scandal


Clerk of Parliament Matilda Katopola has once again been caught in crossfire between staff and Members of Parliament in her zeal to clear the mess at the Legislature.

Her recent victim is parliamentary Internal Procurement Committee (IPC) Chairman Stanilus Chisanu. The IPC chairman has incurred Katopola’s wrath for approving K285,000 in sitting allowances for a meeting that took place at Parliament offices.

In a memo dated March 8, 2006 to Chisanu, the Clerk of Parliament, who is also the Controlling Officer, says such allowances could only be paid for meetings that do not take place at Parliament offices.

“I have checked the practice by IPCs in other institutions and discovered that such allowances can only be paid for meetings which take place away from the duty station and that such meetings require much time, for instance, opening and evaluation of big tenders,” reads a memo in our possession.

Katopola further said: “Considering that you are the chairperson of the National Assembly’s IPC and that you granted the approval of the receipt of allowances to which you were also a beneficiary, I feel that the scenario will attract unnecessary audit queries.”

Katopola also noted that the K285, 000 vouchers for the allowances did not bear the internal audit stamp because that section did not clear them.

She alleges that Internal Auditor’s opinion was disregarded on two occasions.

“For record purposes, I will be grateful if I could be furnished with reasons…why such allowances were paid without the Controlling Officer’s approval and why the Internal Auditors advice was disregarded.

“…Whether members of the committee were mindful of the conflict of interest involved in deciding their own allowances…Why the allowances cannot be refunded by the beneficiaries before an audit query is raised.”

Katopola also questions the duration of the meeting to justify the rate paid and whether such allowances were ever paid during the time of her predecessor, Roosevelt Gondwe.

In his response to the memo, Chisanu says Gondwe approved the issue of allowances. He also says that he does not remember any internal auditor’s advice on the matter.

“IPC meetings tend to be laborious and length/duration of such meetings and contents can be checked from minutes on the IPC file,” he retorts.

Chisanu also says conflict of interest in approval of payments does not arise when beneficiaries are a group.

“Internal Audit is an integral part of the National Assembly establishment and it must work for the good of the institution and not only for the COP [Clerk of Parliament],” he charges.

“The manner this [section] has operated in the past left much to be desired. That is why some of us suggested that school would do the trick but now I wonder whether the knowledge being gained is the appropriate one,” he concludes.

Chisanu in an interview yesterday refused to divulge any details and only said: “I have just come to the office. I was not here. Let the one that gave you the story give the remaining details.”

However, Director of Public Procurement Bright Mangulama agreed with Katopola that an IPC meeting at a work place is not supposed to claim allowances.

Mangulama in an interview on Tuesday said there was a need for the beneficiaries to refund the money.

“You cannot claim allowances for a job you are doing at your work place, it is part and parcel of your normal duty,” he said.

“She is right to ask them to refund the money because they are not supposed to receive allowances,” he said.

Katopola has been at loggerheads with MPs for refusing to succumb to their demands, including getting fresh loans before servicing old ones.

Some MPs have labelled her a toddler who deserves a beating, sentiments leader of the House Henry Chimunthu Banda described as unparliamentary.

The Clerk of Parliament who has the full backing of the Speaker, however, vowed not to give in but strive to clear the mess at the august House.

She has also won support of Malawi Human Rights Commission which says the verbal attack on Katopola by MCP MP Ishmail Chafukira were demeaning, regrettable and uncharacteristic. Government has also thrown its weight behind the Clerk of Parliament.