Namiwa alleges corruption ‘worse’ under DPP as land claims target Chisale

Sylvester Namiwa didn’t hold back at a press briefing on Monday, revealing his organisation has been closely monitoring a growing wave of allegations concerning senior government figures allegedly acquiring plots in the booming Lumbadzi area. “Reports have been circulating that government ministers have bought plots in Lumbadzi,” Namiwa told reporters. But it was one name in particular that dominated the activist’s attention — Norman Chisale, a powerful DPP figure whose name, Namiwa claims, has cropped up again and again amid the swirling allegations.

“One name that has repeatedly come up is Norman Chisale, who currently holds several influential positions. He is the President’s bodyguard, Deputy Minister, Member of Parliament and the party’s National Director of Youth,” Namiwa revealed. Namiwa disclosed that his organisation had gone straight to the source, contacting Chisale directly in a bid to get to the bottom of the mounting speculation over exactly how much land he owns in the area.

According to Namiwa, Chisale insisted he owns just a single plot, and urged the activists to independently verify the ownership records with the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation. “We called Mr. Chisale to ask about the plots he allegedly owns in Lumbadzi.

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He told us he owns one plot and advised us to verify the details with ADL,” Namiwa said. The activist revealed his organisation has since fired off formal letters demanding official records from the relevant authorities, confirming one had already landed with Minister of Lands , while a second was being held back for Chisale pending further information from ADL. “We have written the letters.

One has already been sent to Mr. Chipungu, and we intended to deliver another to Mr. Chisale, but we are waiting until we receive comprehensive information from ADL,” he said.

The explosive claims are set to reignite fierce debate over transparency and accountability among Malawi’s political elite, particularly when it comes to politically exposed figures acquiring public land. Government had issued no official response to Namiwa’s wider allegations at the time of publication. Chisale, for his part, has denied owning multiple plots, insisting through Namiwa that he owns only one, and pointing investigators towards ADL to verify the true picture.

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