LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Civil society leader Benedicto Kondowe has dismissed as fake the circulating WhatsApp screenshots alleging that he received MK80 million from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to discredit President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his administration.

The allegations, which spread widely on social media on Wednesday morning under the banner “#Exposed! Truth Finally Out!”, claim that Kondowe, who chairs the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the Civil Society Education Initiative Forum (CSEIF), had been secretly working with MCP strategists to undermine the DPP-led government.

According to the viral posts, the funds were allegedly delivered through Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu, with Kondowe accused of planning to “hit the Mutharika administration hard” by writing negative reports to the United Nations.

In his response, Kondowe described the screenshots as “malicious fabrications meant to damage my reputation and mislead the public.”

He clarified that the posts circulating online were doctored and that he has never received any money from the ruling party.

He further clarified that the UN briefing mentioned in the posts did occur, but in October, and that it was not related to President Mutharika’s leadership or linked to politician Kamlepo Kalua, as alleged in the circulating messages.

“The combination of two unrelated issues is a clear distortion. The intention is to confuse the public and discredit genuine civil society work,” Kondowe said in a brief statement on Wednesday morning.

Kondowe, a prominent human rights advocate, added that he remains committed to defending good governance and accountability without partisan influence.

Meanwhile, the MCP has not officially commented on the alleged MK80 million payment, while government spokespersons have described the matter as “a test of integrity for civil society leadership.”

The Maravi Post