By Iommie Chiwalo
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has written Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of parliament, against the purported calls for removal of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma.
The letter from CDEDI which PAC Chairperson Joyce Chitsulo confirmed receipt, comes after serious observation that President Lazarus Chakwera is only practicing Public relations stunt in creating impression that is fighting corruption yet Chizuma is in a lone battle.
In a letter signed by its Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI reiterate its stand that any attempts to discredit, frustrate, or halt the ongoing investigations at the ACB, will be treated as a war against Malawians, and that such actions are likely going to attract the wrath of the Malawian voters who also double as taxpayers.
The attempts to have Chizuma removed came days after reports that her office has completed investigating high level cases who are believed to be financiers of President Chakwera and his cronies.
Namiwa says his organisation as any other Malawians of good will has all the reasons to suspect that all these attempts to remove the ACB Director from office, are aimed at foiling these investigations, particularly those concerning the high-profile individuals.
“It is against this background that CDEDI is challenging PAC to seize the opportunity that has availed itself by the recent petition that was received by Hon. Arthur Chipungu on behalf of the committee, to unveil this hitherto unknown person that recorded and leaked the conversation. Apart from letting him face the long arm of the law, Malawians have the right to know his motive and intentions for the act,” reads the letter addressed to PAC Chairperson and copied to concerned stakeholders including International community and state agencies.
He said it is therefore only fair and prudent that the entire committee membership should take a deep reflection and soul searching before taking any course of action.
“CDEDI further strongly believes that it is not too late for both the PAC and the Defense and Security Committees to summon Dr. Kainja and Mr. Ngwira to exonerate themselves in the scheme to have madam Martha Chizuma fired and arrested,” he says.
Adding that it is important to highlight that, at this stage, all eyes are now on PAC as to whether the committee will join in crucifying Martha Chizuma, whose only crime is her detest for corruption, or side with Malawians whose lives are getting worse every day because of some selfish and corrupt individuals.
“The future of this nation will be determined by PAC’s cause of action, which will show whether the country has either won or lost the battle against corruption. Either way, Malawi shall go down in the annals of history as a country that at one point in time was captured by a single individual, right from the Head of State, down to parliament via state agencies to the civil society; or as a nation that stood firm in the fight against corruption,” reads the letter in part.
He is of the view that the outcome of the ongoing investigations on corruption scandals at the ACB, shall haunt all as a nation for generations to come.
“Therefore, those in copy of this letter, are strongly challenged to act within their jurisdictions and mandate to liberate millions of Malawians that are walloping in dehumanizing poverty as a result of the same endemic corruption,” he says.
Chizuma’s very firm stance in the fight against corruption, a vice that is posing a threat to the very spirit and soul of country, has divided the nation and visibly is Tonse Alliance government which is spending sleepless nights scheming how to get this strong woman out of office.
This has been witnessed by all Malawians who have seen the never-ending futile attempts by the Tonse Alliance administration under President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to use state agencies and some citizens to literally hunt down the head of the anti-graft body Chief who is currently living in fear, in a bid to frustrate and eventually abandon investigations involving business person Zeneth Sattar’s suspected corruption scandals.
Namiwa has since said that increased number of petitions and letters to PAC means that Malawians have realized that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.
“In other words, it also means that Malawians are more vigilant and eager to hold duty bearers accountable for their actions and inactions. By extension, it means the citizens refuse to be taken for granted by those in positions of power,” says Namiwa.
He said is sad to note that what Malawians used to believe as political will on the part of President Chakwera is in fact a mere Public Relations (PR) stunt to hoodwink unsuspecting citizens and the international community that he is fighting corruption when in fact he is shielding the same; a development that has exposed Martha Chizuma as a lone wolf.
Notably, apart from the United Democratic Front (UDF) President Mr. Atupele Muluzi, and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa, there is deafening silence on the part of all major political parties in Malawi especially those under the Tonse Alliance banner as well as recent past ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on the ACB Director’s very sad situation.
