Since his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI), Kondwani Kachamba has m been putting in place a blueprint that would allow him to exercise unchecked authority and override established company rules and procedures.
Only Cables can confidently reveal that Kachamba is facing serious allegations of bypassing internal procurement procedures, interfering with human resources processes, protecting a controversial procurement officer and allegedly sidelining employees and committees that have raised concerns about irregularities within the organisation.
Sources familiar with developments at SMEDI claim that several employees have become alienated under Kachamba’ leadership, with some allegedly resigning due to what they describe as ill-treatment and an increasingly hostile working environment.
At the centre of the controversy is the recruitment of a procurement specialist, Ms Mdechi, who reportedly finished fourth during the recruitment interviews but was nevertheless facilitated into a position at SMEDI.
According to information available to Cables, Mdechi had previously been dismissed from Malawi Mangoes over allegations involving fraud and embezzlement.
Cables understands that Malawi Mangoes subsequently notified SMEDI that the person it had employed was allegedly compromised.
When SMEDI’s Human Resources Department reportedly initiated disciplinary proceedings into the matter, sources claim the process was blocked by the CEO.
Kachama allegedly maintained that, as CEO, he had overriding authority over decisions made by other departments and structures within the organisation.
As a result, sources say the HR Department has been unable to proceed with disciplinary action and has effectively been prevented from acting on the matter.
The controversy has reportedly deepened after Kachamba pushed for the procurement officer to be included among the signatories to SMEDI’s bank accounts.
Under the organisation’s existing rules, only senior officers are reportedly authorised to serve as account signatories.
When officials raised concerns over the proposed arrangement, sources claim they were met with the same response that the CEO is the overall boss and has the power to override any decision.
The development has raised questions about governance, internal controls and the separation of responsibilities within the institution.
Cables can further reveal that Kachama and the procurement officer allegedly initiated a process to procure top-of-the-range vehicles from CFAO without the knowledge or approval of the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee (IPDC) and senior management.
Sources claim quotations were obtained without prior consultation with management and senior officials at SMEDI.
This, according to officials familiar with the organisation’s procedures, contravenes procurement rules requiring quotations to be sourced and vetted through the IPDC before procurement decisions are made.
When the IPDC reportedly raised concerns, the committee was allegedly denied an opportunity to convene a stakeholder meeting involving relevant authorities, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Cables understands that committee members were subsequently informed that their tenures had ended, despite concerns that the dates governing their appointments did not indicate that their terms had expired.
Sources believe the move was designed to systematically remove individuals who had repeatedly raised questions about alleged procurement discrepancies at the organisation.
The latest controversy reportedly emerged after SMEDI advertised several vacant positions through newspapers and other media platforms.
However, as of Monday, the Human Resources Department was reportedly left shocked after Kachamba began personally calling shortlisted candidates for interviews scheduled for Wednesday 26 August without the knowledge or participation of the HR Department.
Sources say the development has raised serious questions about whether the recruitment process is being conducted in accordance with established organisational procedures.
The allegations paint a picture of an organisation where established governance structures are allegedly being weakened and where key decisions are increasingly being made without consultation with the departments and committees mandated to oversee them.
Cables is continuing to investigate the allegations and will publish any response from Kachamba and SMEDI management.
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