Opposition Members of Parliament says the proposed Corrupt Practices Amendment Bill still gives power to the president and should not be passed as it is.
Speaking with Malawi24, Member of Parliament for Balaka West Shanil Dzimbiri said that the bill has to be revised since it gives power the president power in the appointment of the Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The proposed law gives power to the minister to appoint a panel that would hold interviews and recommend names to the president who would then appoint the director from the provided names or reject all the names in which case the position would be readvertised.
But Dzimbiri said the arrangement shows that the ACB director will not be independent.
“I am not comfortable with this bill, because there is no independence of the director, what I want to suggest is that the powers to appoint ACB director should be given to a group consisting non-governmental organizations, media, religious organisations and not the minister appointing a panel,” she explained.
Dedza East MP Juliana Lunguzi of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) expressed concern that members of the panel might sympathise with the governing party.
While Dowa East MP Richard Chimwendo Banda (MCP) said it was not clear how the president would pick the name of the appointee.
Commenting on the issue of corruption, Member of Parliament for Mulanje South Bon Kalindo said it is very shameful that people in the country are entertaining corrupt practices instead of putting the act to an end.
