What was supposed to help Malawi grow more food has turned into one of the biggest corruption scandals since Cashgate.
Investigators say at least K39 billion of public money was stolen from the Greenbelt Authority (GBA) between March and July 2025. The money was taken using fake invoices, inflated contracts, and fake work certificates. Senior government officials worked together with private companies to steal the money.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) says K36.78 billion was paid to contractors without proper guarantees and without real work being done. The money was later withdrawn in cash and shared among company owners, Greenbelt officials, and politicians.
What Is the Greenbelt Authority?
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The Greenbelt Authority is a government-owned institution, created under the Greenbelt Authority Act of 2017. Its job is to support large-scale irrigation farming to improve food security and grow the economy.
Instead, investigators say it became a cash machine for looting public money.
Where the Money Came From
The stolen money was meant for four major irrigation projects under the 2025 Greenbelt Initiative:
Nthola Ilora - Karonga
Lweya - Nkhata-Bay
Mlambe - Mangochi
Nchalo - Chikwawa
The main bank accounts used were:
NBS Bank - Account number 00022439324
CDH Investment Bank - Account number 0050400022203
The account signatories were:
Eric Chidzungu - CEO of Greenbelt Authority
Linda Phiri - Director of Finance and Investments (now arrested)
Companies That Benefited and How Much They Got
Einstein Construction Limited
Contract: Rehabilitate Mlambe Mega Farm (Mangochi)
Contract value: K21 billion
Contract number: GBA/IPDC/W/NCB/MLAMBE/2024/25
Signed by: Eric Chidzungu (GBA CEO)
Company Director: Kenneth Khonje (arrested)
Payments received:
87 billion paid using fake work certificates
Another K615 million sent to Caesar Isaac Kumwenda (Circuit Electrical Contractor)
K400 million sent to Shukrahn Seleman (Kabiki & Partners employee)
K500 million and K700 million sent to Joseph Banda
K400 million and K600 million sent to Allan Chapweteka (Achapwe General Dealers)
PLMB Engineering Investments
Subcontract from Einstein Construction
Subcontract value: K4.93 billion
Legal limit: Their licence only allows projects below K1 billion
Payments received:
2 billion paid by Greenbelt using fake certificates
What they did with the money:
K1 billion transferred to Mphatso Mtonza (could not explain why)
K100 million each deposited into private accounts of:
Stanley Bakolo (MD - arrested)
Victor Chabwera (MD - arrested)
EMD Consulting Engineers
Role: Supervision of Einstein Construction works
Contract value: K1.7 billion
Payments received: K840 million
Money shared:
K55 million sent to Shukrahn Seleman
Kabiki & Partners Engineering Services
Contract: Supervision of Nthola Ilora irrigation scheme
Contract value: K3.95 billion
Payments received: K1.17 billion
Kickbacks paid to Greenbelt officials through third parties:
Chester Chikwere
Synoden Kautsi
Masautso Kamowa
Kelvin Lichapa
Steven Likaka
Dyson Matimati
Specific payments:
K151 million paid to Synoden Kautsi via cheques
4 million paid to Mphatso Mtonza
4 million paid to Kelvin Cheza
K10 million from Cheza sent to Chisomo Kumbuyo
K3 million sent to Kumbuyo by Chester Chikwere
Key Greenbelt Officials Who Benefited
Eric Chidzungu - CEO (approved payments)
Linda Phiri - Director of Finance (approved fake certificates)
Chisomo Kumbuyo - Director of Irrigation Operations
Masautso Kamowa - Procurement Manager
Synoden Kautsi - Infrastructure Development Manager
Chester Chikwere - Irrigation Engineer
These officials approved payments without work being done and later received money from contractors.
Money for Politics
Investigators say some of the stolen money was:
Used for political campaign materials
Given to politicians in cash
Withdrawn from banks to avoid tracking
One shocking case involved K2 billion being paid into a student's bank account, even though the student declared a monthly income of K250,000. Banks failed to flag this transaction.
Arrests So Far
Arrested on January 17:
Linda Phiri - GBA
Masautso Kamowa - GBA
Synoden Kautsi - GBA
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Kenneth Khonje - Einstein Construction
Victor Chabwera - PLMB Engineering
Ephron Mwenitete - EMD Consulting Engineers
Arrested on January 19:
Chisomo Kumbuyo - GBA
Stanley Bakolo - PLMB Engineering
More arrests are expected, including senior government officials.
A Long History of Corruption at Greenbelt
This is not the first scandal at Greenbelt Authority:
2014 Tractorgate: Tractors bought at K74 million each were sold to politicians for K10 million
2022 Audit: K4 billion stolen at Nchalo Greenbelt Limited
2024 PPDA Case: Greenbelt fined for illegally changing tender documents
Bottom Line
K39 billion was stolen
One institution
Four months
Fake contracts
Fake certificates
Money shared among companies, officials, and politicians
This scandal is bigger than Cashgate because all the theft happened in one institution.
The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected.
DISCLAIMER: This story first appeared on Platform of Investigative Journalism (PIJ).
