The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Victor Musowa, on Wednesday told the august House that Second Vice President, Enock Kanzingeni-Chihana, is not among high profile politicians who are alleged to have defaulted Mega Farms Loans Project.
Victor Musowa made the clarification following a remark from a Member of Parliament from Lilongwe who claimed that the name of the third citizen was mentioned on the list of loan defaulters.
However, the First Deputy Speaker intervened and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statement from the parliamentarian.
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“The name of the Second Vice President is His Honour the Right Honourable Enock Kanzingeni-Chihana and I did not hear that name on the list read by the Minister. If you have any personal issues with the Second Vice President, please take them elsewhere not in this house,” he advised.
The parliamentarian unreservedly withdrew the statement.
Further inquiries have revealed that the name of Chakufwa Chihana mentioned on the list belonged to the son of former Mzimba North parliamentarian Yeremiah Chihana who is said to have defaulted on his loan amounting to MK318,680,920.40.
Chakufwa Chihana is a close ally of Vitumbiko Mumba, running mate to former President Dr Lazarus Chakwera
According to the Minister, in the 2023/24 farming season, out of the 10.79 billion kwacha loans disbursed, only 3.4 billion kwacha was repaid while 7.27 billion kwacha remain unpaid.
Mbilizi further revealed that in the 2024/25 agriculture season, 55 billion kwacha remain remains defaulted by 688 borrowers out of 952 borrowers who accessed the loans representing 88% exposure.