A storm is brewing in Malawi’s creative sector after outraged artists petitioned the Office of the Ombudsman, accusing the Copyright Fund Committee of shameless abuse of power and corruption in the allocation of grants.
At the centre of the scandal is the shocking revelation that Cosoma Board chairperson Bishop Chimwemwe Mhango, and board members Wendy Harawa and Deborah Ntopa, quietly smuggled themselves onto the list of beneficiaries of the very fund they are entrusted to oversee.
In their petition–filed under Section 7(1) of the Ombudsman Act (Chapter 3:07)–artists accuse the Cosoma board of conflict of interest, abuse of authority, and deliberate exclusion of deserving applicants without due process. They have demanded an immediate probe and the return of all funds allocated to board members.
The petition reads in part: “These actions amount to abuse of power by awarding grants to decision-makers themselves, unfair treatment of eligible applicants who were excluded without due process or communication, unreasonable, unjust, and inequitable decision-making under Section 5(2)(a) & (b).”
Industry players have described the scandal as a betrayal of trust and daylight robbery against struggling creatives who depend on the fund for survival. “It is nothing short of looting–officials turning a support fund into their personal ATM,” one artist fumed.
Confirming receipt of the complaint, Ombudsman Grace Malera said her office will begin screening the petition to determine its admissibility: “The complaint will undergo a screening process to assess its admissibility before the Office of the Ombudsman,” she said.
The development has sparked outrage across the creative industry, with many calling it the latest example of how governance rot and self-enrichment are choking Malawi’s arts sector.
