Attorney General Frank Mbeta has signed a consent order which will see Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Bob Chimkango being paid K51 million and a Toyota Fortuner vehicle, in a controversial out of court pay-out.
Chimkango, was fired from the Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) where he was working as a Director of Administration, for being actively involved with politics, which is against public service laws.
In 2019, he was paraded as a witness for President Peter Mutharika (then former president) who was DPP presidential candidate in the nullified elections. He told the court that apart from being a public servant, he was a party stalwart.
In the elections case, the first petitioner Saulos Chilima of UTM Party and second petitioner Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party were challenging the 2019 presidential election results in which Mutharika was declared winner by the Malawi Electoral Commission.
In the agreement, according to a document sourced by PIJ, Chimkango will get K51 million, which includes purported withheld wages amounting to MK39, 477,313.71, which includes MKI, 118, 256, 00 being withheld as Airtime Allowance, MK4, 198, 800, 90 for fuel allowance, MK7.778. 272. 86 being leave pay.
He has also been MK 11, 926, 466. 40 for unfair dismissal and MK 23, 852, 932. 80 for unfair labour practices and that MHC should hand over the Fortuner plus K5 million within seven days.
“The Respondent shall, within seven (7) days of this order, deliver, or cause to be delivered to the Applicant, Motor Vehicle, Toyota Fortuner, Registration Number CA 3289, now registered as 2 SC 290, and shall ensure the transfer of Title and Ownership of the said Motor Vehicle to the Applicant upon such delivery.
“The consideration for the delivery of the said motor vehicle shall be the sum of MK5, 965,544. 30, which sum shall be deducted from the withheld wages enumerated in paragraph 2.5 above; The respondent shall, within 14 days from the date hereof, pay the Applicant the sum of MK14, 511, 688. 41 being the balance on the gratuity upon the deduction of the consideration for the motor vehicle,” reads part of the agreement
Chimkango told PIJ that the “settlement was arrived at after a series of discussions and revisiting the whole case over and over.”
“It is the MHC that appointed the Attorney General as their lawyer, replacing the private lawyers that were on record,” he said, adding that the MHC Board approved the settlement on 3rd February 2026.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Chimkango on allegations that in 2019, he obtained K7 430 820 in fuel and subsistence allowances from the parastatal to attend proceedings in the 2019 presidential elections case where he was a witness, which was not related to MHC’s interests.
