Brigadier General Blaise Saenda, the DPP appointed Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), is reportedly recruiting and maintaining Malawi Congress Party (MCP) affiliates within the agency, a development that security analysts say could pose a serious risk to the neutrality of the service.
Sources familiar with NIS operations say Saenda, a close relative of former Statehouse Deputy Chief of Staff Max Kalamula, played a controversial role during the 2020 elections.
As Director of Military Operations at the time, he reportedly acted as a double agent, keeping MCP presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera updated while coordinating military oversight of the elections.
Insiders claim that Saenda’s network within the MCP has extended into NIS, where he is now allegedly protecting and consolidating party cadres.
Analysts warn that this could compromise sensitive intelligence and give the MCP undue influence within a key national security institution.
Tensions between Saenda and other senior officials, including Nundwe, are said to stem from disputes over unauthorized expenditures.
Observers, however, suggest that the broader concern is political influence within NIS, with MCP operatives reportedly occupying critical positions under Saenda’s oversight.
As the head of NIS, Saenda now has control over recruitment and operational management, prompting calls from some quarters for closer monitoring to ensure that the agency functions impartially and serves national, rather than partisan, interests.
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