[3] After independence in 1964, Hastings Kamuzu Banda's regime perpetuated corruption, using state resources for personal gain and suppressing any opposition.
They used their authority to accumulate wealth and influence, and exploited Malawi's natural resources, such as land, minerals, and labor, without fair compensation or regard for local welfare.
This corruption enriched colonial powers while impoverishing Malawians, perpetuating economic and social inequalities that persist today.
The BSAC was granted a charter by the British government to exploit the region's natural resources and establish colonial rule.
Sir Alfred Sharpe, the Resident Commissioner of Nyasaland (now Malawi), was involved in the illegal allocation of land to European settlers, leading to the displacement of local communities.
The colonial administration also imposed forced labor and land expropriation on local communities, leading to widespread resentment and resistance.
He used state-owned enterprises like the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) for personal gain and seized land from smallholder farmers, allocating it to himself and loyalists.
[11] His regime was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including forced labor, torture, and political imprisonment.
He was arrested in 2006 and faced trial, but the case was eventually dropped in 2021 due to lack of progress and alleged political interference.
[1][8] In his rule, he allegedly used his position to enrich himself and his allies through corrupt deals in the Bingu Wa Mutharika Trust scandal.
Additionally, Muluzi allegedly used the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) to enrich himself and his allies through corrupt practices.
[13] Mutharika was also accused of corruption and nepotism, awarding government contracts to his friends and family, and accepting bribes, as well as abusing his office, using his position for personal gain, including the use of public funds for his own benefit.
His regime was marked by economic mismanagement, including a severe foreign exchange shortage and a plummeting currency.