Malawi: Conflict of Interest Storm As Cosoma Board Members Pocket Over K35 Million in 'Artist Grants'

What was billed as a landmark day for Malawian creativity has been tainted by a glaring question: how transparent is the Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) when those holding the purse strings end up holding the biggest cheques?

During a colourful ceremony at Lilongwe Hotel, COSOMA proudly announced the disbursement of K190 million to selected artists to take Malawi's talent global. But hidden beneath the applause and speeches was an eyebrow-raising fact -- over K35 million went directly to COSOMA's own board members.

Board Chairperson Rev. Dr. Chimwemwe Mhango was awarded K19.5 million, while fellow board member Deborah Ntopa walked away with K16 million. These are the very people who sit at the helm of COSOMA's decision-making -- raising unavoidable concerns about conflict of interest, fairness, and whether other deserving creatives were sidelined.

Transparency experts are already warning that this blurs the lines between governance and self-enrichment. "When the referees start scoring goals, the whole match becomes questionable," one governance analyst said on condition of anonymity.

While the official list of other beneficiaries includes music star Lulu Khwisa (K20 million), Kingston Zeze (K20 million), the Malawi Writers Union (K20 million), and the National Theatre Association (K20 million), the boardroom-to-beneficiary pipeline has left many artists wondering: Was this process truly competitive, or just a well-dressed form of insider privilege?

COSOMA Chairperson of the Copyright Fund Committee, Robert Kapyepye, insisted the grants were meant to propel local creatives onto the international stage. Yet, with two board members now on that very stage -- backed by public money they helped allocate -- the optics are hard to ignore.

This isn't just about money. It's about trust. COSOMA's credibility rests on its ability to fairly represent all artists, not just those with a seat at the table. Until full details of the selection criteria and evaluation process are made public, the applause from Lilongwe Hotel may echo with an uncomfortable question:

When COSOMA opens its wallet, is it really for the artists -- or for itself?

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.