Following the arrest of Vice President Saulos Chilima, the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has asked Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to move away from perceived selective application of justice and to arrest Malawi Congress Party (MCP) senior politicians who are also accused of receiving bribes from businessperson Zuneth Sattar.
In a statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, titled ” After the arrest of Chilima, who is next,” the organisation wonders why some ‘big fishes’ are not booked despite being named in serious corruption scandals.
An issue at hand, as highlighted by CDEDI, is the case involving a Mercedes Benz allegedly given to the MCP Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka by the same businessperson Zuneth Sattar.
Namiwa has since asked ACB Tsarina to ensure that the current approach is extended beyond the UTM party, which is a major partner in the Tonse Alliance government and cover those in President Lazarus Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Namiwa has cited the fresh revelations to do with abuse of office by the Secretary to President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba who is reported to have influenced and benefited from oil deals at the National Oil Company of Malawi where she is the Board Chairperson as an example of a more recent and straightforward case that deserves an ACB eye.
“From where we are standing, the trust Malawians have in the ACB will not only be short-lived but rather translate into a clear case of selective application of justice if these people directly connected to the MCP and President Chakwera are not arrested,” says Namiwa.
Among the numerous cases that are already in public domain, the ACB has also been reminded of the allowance scandal at the Accountant General’s department which is a clear manifestation of abuse of office by senior government officials who are alleged to have benefited immensely, but were left scott free when on the other hand over 80 junior civil servants were arrested and interdicted.
Another case to pursue, according to CDEDI, is that Chakwera’s Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga who was named in the ACB report, and was consequently suspended.
“Unless the above-mentioned officials are summoned for questioning, just like the way it has been done with the Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, and the former Inspector General (IG) of the Malawi Police Service (MPS) Dr. George Kainja, then it will be construed by every well-meaning Malawian that the ACB is allowing some sectors of the society to be freely looting and plundering the country’s meagre resources with impunity as long as they are in or connected to the ruling MCP. This is very sad for Malawi’s hard-won democracy. No one is above the law,” said Namiwa.
Chizuma recently told the press that there are so many investigations undertaken by the Bureau of which majority are at an advanced stage.
Follow us on Twitter:
