Malawi is gradually sliding into a pathetic failed nation in as far as national progress is concerned. It is largely hampered by its tolerance towards corruption.
Frankly speaking, President Lazarus Chakwera has demonstrated that he has a strange agenda of promoting corruption in Malawi.
Although President Chakwera promised Malawians that he would stamp out corruption, his government is at the forefront making strange decisions that potentially accelerate corrupt practices in our country.
First, the recent announcement by Chakwera regime to discontinue Vice President Saulos Chilima’s corruption case is a total disappointment to most Malawians.
Malawians were not surprised when Saulos Chilima called for the removal of presidential immunity when he was defending himself against the corruption charges that he received a bribe from a UK based business tycoon, Zunneth Sattar.
One can easily conclude that both Vice President Saulos Chilima and President Chakwera are accomplices of corruption.
It is a case of thieves accusing each other but when one is cornered the other starts shielding one another.
Second, without allowing a course of justice to prevail, Chakwera has discontinued Chilima’s corruption case. Yet President Chakwera himself some weeks ago accused the American government of tampering with justice because it banned some senior government officials from entering American country over allegations of corruption. President Chakwera must feel ashamed of himself for exuding such a daylight hypocrisy on our own face.
Third, if President Chakwera was serious with combating corruption, he would not have pardoned corruption suspect Bakili Muluzi and corruption convict Uladi Mussa willy-nilly. This move sent a strong message to potential corruption perpetrators that Chakwera government is tolerating this cancerous vice.
Fourth, there are serious allegations that President Chakwera is personally interfering with the operations of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
It is not true that the Director General of ACB, Martha Chizuma was arrested without the prior knowledge and endorsement of Commander in Chief of the Malawi Army, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, the Inspector General of Malawi Police Services, Mrs. Merlyne Yolamu, and Minister of Homeland Security, Mr. Ken Zikhale Ng’oma.
This plot of arresting Martha was masterminded by the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Steve Kayuni with a view of intimidating and silencing Martha Chizuma from prosecuting some government corruption suspects.
The aftermath of Martha’s arrest was twofold. President Chakwera promoted Dr. Steve Kayuni for the job well done to the position of Principal Secretary in the Malawi civil service .
Furthermore, soon after her arrest, Martha was indeed silenced. She unceremoniously dropped down corruption charges against the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) stalwart, Prince Kapondamgaga not to mention that some similar cases from the government side are politically gradually dragging at a snail’s pace.
Martha Chizuma has even dismally failed to honour her promise of providing an official statement to Malawians over the allegations that the untouchable Secretary-General of MCP, Eisenhower Mkaka received a bribe from Zunneth Sattar in the form of a Mercedes Benz.
One wonders how many corruption cases from the government side are being swept under carpet by the paranoid and biased Martha Chizuma?
Lastly but not least, four years down the line, Chakwera government has dismally failed to fulfil its promise of making the ACB fully independent.
President Chakwera promised Malawians that his government would introduce laws that would make ACB fully independent from political interference. Four years down Chakwera’s reign, there is no bill that has been tabled to accomplish the same.
Furthermore, to ensure the independence of the ACB apart from reinforcing legal structures, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera promised Malawians that his government would recruit foreign expatriate to unbiasedly head the ACB.
Caution must be understood here that the promise did not undermine Malawians. Professionally, there are many qualified Malawians but ethically politics, tribalism, regionalism and religiosity have regrettably compromised professionalism and integrity in all public sectors in Malawi.
Contrary to Chakwera’s promises, Malawians were surprised that he appointed Martha Chizuma as Director General of ACB from his tribe and region so that he can easily manipulate her.
It is even highly likely that President Chakwera will appoint the successor to Martha Chizuma from the list of MCP manipulatable stalwarts.
