BY Bongani Katema

Some top officials in the Ministry of Health have expressed concern with reports that government is planning to award the Long Lasting Treated Nets (LLNS) distribution exercise deal to Mulli Brothers Limited whose contract was cancelled a couple of years ago due to alleged incompetence.

Previous reports indicate that Government of Malawi cancelled Mulli Brothers Limited’s contract of LLNS worth over K535 million across the country because of some inconsistencies and unsatisfactory performance in which were reported in some districts.

According to new reports emerging in the ministry, government seems to have given a go ahead to award the same contract to Mulli Brothers Limited again through the Ministry of Health’s Programmes Implementation Unit (PIU).

One official from the Ministry of Health who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “It is highly unprofessional to award business to someone whose contract was terminated on performance grounds, how can he satisfactorily perform now?” wondered the official who thinks the contract awarding process lacks integrity.

The Ministry of Health published an advert in the Daily Times Newspaper late last year inviting tenders for the storage and distribution LLNS nets in some parts of the country after cancellation of the MBL contract.

The development also comes as Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda recently also blacklisted MBL from any future government tenders citing that the company used confidential information from Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) to gain business advantage in the Mosquito nets contract but the move was later quashed in court by after MBL sued.

Mulli Brothers Limited is owned by controversial business magnet Leston Mulli who under the erstwhile ruling Democratic Progressive Party also won majority of government’s major contracts.