The Institute for Chartered Accountants in Malawi (ICAM) has rejected President Peter Mutharika’s pick for Auditor General saying the appointee does not have significant auditing experience and a valid practicing licence.
ICAM has also noted that the procedure used to make the appointment is against the country’s laws.
Mutharika in June appointed Harold Mwala as the new Auditor General subject to confirmation by Parliament.
In a statement signed by its president Henry Chowawa, ICAM said it met Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara to express its concerns over Mwala’s appointment.
Among its concerns, ICAM noted that the appointment process lacked transparency and Mwala does not meet some of the basic requirements for the role.
According to ICAM, the Public Audit Act says the Auditor General should have a valid practicing licence issued by the Malawi Accountants Board and should have significant auditing experiencing.
“ICAM further referred to the Chief Secretary to the yet to effected Public Audit (Amendment) Act which calls for among other things public requests for applications through advertisements in the print and other media.
“Furthermore, shortlisted candidates are supposed to be interviewed by a selected panel prior to submitting successful candidates for final selection to appointing authority. ICAM was concerned that the spirit of the procedures as laid down in the Amendment Act was not followed,” says the statement.
The organisation then asked government to reconsider the appointment.
In response, government did not table a motion for the confirmation of the appointment of Mwala during the recent sitting of Parliament.
