Government has ordered embattled businessman, Zameer Karim, to pay back the K2.7 billion that he got after issuing inflated invoices for tenders he won. And in an interesting turn of events Democratic Progressive Party Vice President, Kondwani Nankhumwa, is said to be pestering businesspersons within the Asian community to help Karim settle the payment.
Nankhumwa, who is also Leader of Opposition, has since asked another DPP financier, Pacific Group boss Faizal Aboo to lend Karim the whole K2.7 Billion.
The Mulanje Central legislator has further lobbied for a 12-month repayment plan if Aboo succumbs to his wishes.
Nankhumwa continues to sustain links with the Asian business owners renowned for supporting the DPP financially. This, he is doing to mobilize resources for his bid to succeed current leader Peter Mutharika and further represent the party as Presidential candidate in 2025.
Karim has for the past few years been in the spotlight for his involvement in procurement deals with government agencies, mainly the Malawi Police Service.
He was first arrested in 2019 for his involvement in the procurement of K2.7 billion meant for food rations for MPS personnel after his Pioneer Investments won the tender in 2015.
Since then, his business empire has faced depleted revenue such that he cannot honor the recent order from government.
As one of the senior members of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Nankhumwa is one of the people that have benefitted from Karim’s money which the businessman gave to the party when they were in government.
At one point, Karim deposited K145 million in Peter Mutharika’s bank account which was returned only after the former President had faced public uproar linking him to corrupt practices.
Karim is currently also answering other charges with Victoria Chanza, an officer of Ecobank. The two are accused of forging Police documents which helped Karim secure a loan from the bank on the pretext that he had a contract with Malawi Police Service.