Another UDF MP in the spotlight for fake MSCE

Mbaya, his future as Member of Parliament now hangs in balance. Pic by Malawi Digest.

By Maxwell Ng’ambi

When the Malawi National Assembly starts meeting in the administrative capital, Lilongwe tomorrow, Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda is expected to act on a petition from some constituents of Mangochi East who are asking him to grant authority to the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) to investigate their Member of Parliament (MP) Abubakar Mbaya over allegations that he has been contesting as MP using his brother’s Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE).

In an e-mail response to a Weekend Nation questionnaire, National Assembly spokesman Ian Mwenye said: “The office of the Speaker will act on the petition and issues that have been raised as per procedures and practices that are followed when handling petitions.”

The people claim their research shows that the MSCE with examination number 112/082, which Mbaya allegedly presented to the Electoral Commission in 1994, belongs to Anaki Wisiki Mbaya who is the MP’s brother.

In the letter dated January 4, 2010, the petitioners whose names and signatures are about one thousand, say they have written Chimunthu-Banda because Maneb executive director is on record that he can only act on authority from the Speaker.

“The people of Mangochi East, do hereby petition your office to investigate Hon. Abubakar Mbaya for obtaining a post as Member of Parliament of Mangochi East constituency during the 1994, 1999 and 2004 general elections with false pretence,” reads the petition which was received and duly signed for by the Speaker’s secretary Grace Mpagaja on January 5, 2010.

The petitioners, from Traditional Authority (T/A) Katuli, say that Mbaya has served in that capacity after presenting false information about his person at the District Commissioners office that he does not have both Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) and Junior Certificate (JC).

In November last year the constituents, in the letter to Maneb, alleged that Mbaya has never uttered a word since entering Parliament 15 years ago.

The constituents calling themselves ‘People of Mangochi East constituency’ asked Maneb to verify Mbaya’s MSCE because they are suspicious of its authenticity.

But Mbaya last week hit back, arguing the petitioners are being sponsored by people he competed against in the May 19 elections but lost.

“Malawi is a democratic country and if indeed I was a non performer they could have voted me out. This is my fourth time to be MP in Mangochi East constituency. Can a non performer with four times?” wondered Mbaya.

Mbaya said he is ready to be investigated, saying he has committed no crime.

On concerns that he does not contribute to debate in Parliament, Mbaya said the Hansards will show his record.

Mbaya’s brother Anaki accused accused the MP’s political opponents of ‘causing the trouble’.

“If he used my certificate, he should have been known as Anaki and not Abubakar. It is not true that my brother used my certificate,” Anaki said.

Maneb executive director Mathews Matemba confirmed receiving the letter from ‘the People of Mangochi East constituency’, requesting his office to investigate Mbaya over an MSCE.

In the earlier petition, the constituents claimed the MP does not present their development needs in Parliament because he is not educated to MSCE level as he claimed in 1994.

In May 2009 elections Mbaya got 10291 votes out of 20275 who voted in the constituency.

He beat five of his competitors with Paison Omar Kaisi on second position getting 3,265 votes.

Former opposition UDF Balaka North MP Lucious Banda was convicted in 2006 for presenting a fake MSCE to a person employed in public service-Weekend Nation.