The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has challenged President Lazarus Chakwera to explain to Malawians and the international community on whether or not his government has abandoned the anti-corruption drive.
This follows the arrest of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma on allegations that she has broken the oath of secrecy despite the president clearing Chizuma.
In a statement, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa has questioned the motive behind the arrest which comes just days after Chizuma took a bold step to arrest the Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is also the President for the UTM Party, a major partner in the Tonse Alliance government, in connection to the alleged Zuneth Sattar corruption scandal.
“At the time Malawians expected the ACB to replicate the gesture to Malawi Congress Party (MCP), another major alliance partner, Malawians woke up to the news of the ACB Director’s arrest,” said Namiwa
He added: “Malawians vividly recall that in January 2022, the President told the whole world that he had forgiven the ACB Director for what she did and said in the contentious leaked phone conversation. Is President Chakwera an outright liar? Or is he perhaps someone who can just be pushed around? Malawians ought to know that both the ACB and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) report to the same office, that of the President who is also the appointing authority,” he said.
Namiwa argued that since Kayuni reports to Chakwera, there is no way Kayuni could make a move that has not been sanctioned by President Chakwera, and neither can a high profile official be summoned for questioning in a high profile case without the consent of the DPP.
“We at the CDEDI, are demanding an explanation from President Chakwera as regards the ACB Director’s arrest,” he said.
Malawi Law Society, Economists, development partners yesterday expressed shock on how state machinery has conducted itself regarding Chizuma’s arrest.
For instance, Member of Parliament for Mulanje Bale Victor Musowa said he was traumatized by the arrest of the ACB director who was not even given a chance to dress up properly as she was picked in her pigamas.
Majority of commentators have rubbished government’s lame excuse of saying that it was not aware of the plans to arrest the ACB Tsarina.
Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo informed Parliament yesterday that government through a presidential directive has instituted a commission of inquiry to establish the truth on who sanctioned the police to arrest the ACB Director.
However, people are wondering the essence of this inquiry saying it is just a matter of embezzling allowances by its representatives.
For instance, MP for Machinga Likwenu Bright Msaka asked the Justice Minister to explain the essence of the said inquiry considering that police have issued a statement saying the arrest was sanctioned by Office of the DPP.
Speaking yesterday following Chizuma’s arrest, Chakwera said he has every intention of seeing that an inquiry into the arrest is conducted and any wrongdoers
who have abused their office in this incident are held accountable.
“We must maintain our resolve and send a message to those who think they can intimidate us into submission and slow us down in our fight for a corruption-free Malawi… And that message is simple: We are not afraid and we will not stop fighting,” he said.
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