By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAM) has now occupied part of the ICAM House it has constructed along Masauko Chipembere Highway at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre opposite Universal Industries.
According to ICAM Chief Executive Officer Francis Chinjoka, this is Phase 1 of the project is completed and will be commissioned by the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development.
“Construction started in January 2018 and the Phase 1 will be used by the Secretariat while Phase 2 and 3 will be for letting out,” he said.
Gondwe with Lumumba
Commenting when the picture of the building was posted on Facebook, Montfort Manyozo the House has beautified that part of town.
“They should be given a pat on the back. I hope much later in its lifespan they build more floors above, but for now this is very beautiful,” he said.
Charles Ulaya also congratulated ICAM and urged Law Society, Insurance Association, Marketing Association, ICTAM, Engineering Association to emulate the example.
Times Group Managing Director Leonnard Chikadya challenged ICAM that going forward they should adopt the strategy of Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA), who also have own office.
“They recently embarked of major income generating projects including building 5,000 seater Shungu Namutitima International Conference Centre at Livingstone, Victoria Falls.
“This will host 5-star hotel, Presidential villas, 18 golf course, art exhibition, cultural centre and observations wheel (Livingstone Eye).
“This is supported both by Government and leading donors [but] once again congratulations to Dr Francis Gondwe and all members of ICAM,” Chikadya said.
Another observer said this is a good development, but not good enough for her, saying in this generation Malawians should be building skyscrapers, especially on such small piece of land.
Meanwhile, ICAM has once again invited Africa’s great orator Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba from Kenya, this time for the annual Executive Retreat to be held at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on February 22.
He deliver a lecture alongside Reserve Bank Governor Dalitso Kabambe, High Court Judge Fiona Mwale, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Reyneck Matemba and Chancellor College’s Blessings Chinsinga.
The theme for this year’s Executive Retreat is ‘Governance Under the Microscope: ‘Moving Forward with One Vision’ and ICAM CEO Gondwe said this topic was decided because institutions are failing in Malawi mainly due to poor or weak governance.
Lumumba will speak on the topic ‘Africa’s governance dilemna: where do we go wrong?’; Kabambe on ‘Economic governance for economic growth: going beyond rhetoric while Chinsinga will tackle ‘Political and economic governance interface’.
Matemba’s topic is ‘The spreading cancer of corruption: is governance failing to tame it?’ while Justice Mwale’s is ‘Governance under the legal microscope: strengths and weaknesses’.
Lumumba was also invited as guest speaker at the 2019 ICAM annual conference at Sun ‘n’ Sand Holiday Resort, which was held under the theme ‘Repositioning Africa’s Economic Renaissance – Malawi in the Equation’.