Mwankhwawa new ACB chief, Fiona Mwale top prosecutor
Malawi President Joyce Banda is to make appointments of new head of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to be confirmed by Parliament following the sacking of ‘lame-duck’ boss Alex Nampota.
Private practising lawyer and Malawi Law Society (MLS) President John Gift Mwankhwawa has come out as hot favourite for the top job of the country’s graft bursting body, Nyasa Times has learnt.
Government sources have confided to Nyasa Times about the appointment of Mwankhwawa who is regarded by many in the legal fraternity as intelligent, down to earth but maintains a no nonsense stature.
Sources in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) told Nyasa Times that decision to hire the youthful legal practitioner was reached basing on his track record as MLS president, a position that saw him becoming a strong critic of the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s draconian regime.
“I can confirm to you that Mr. Mwankhwawa has been appointed as new ACB boss pending national assembly’s approval. This is in line with President Mrs. Joyce Banda’s reform agenda,” a top source at Office of President and Cabinet said.
Nyasa Times understands that there were many names that were put forward like that of Mordecai Msiska and Gustave Kaliwo among several other lawyers .
The story has also been collaborated by other impeccable sources in the ruling People’s Party (PP).
Mwankhwawa’s hiring comes at a time when the graft watchdog is enjoying low public opinion over its handling of high profile cases where it has only targeted people deemed to be anti government leaving out former ruling Democratic progressive party (DPP) cronies scot free.
OPC has refused to comment on the issue saying “the public will be rightfully informed when any appointment has been made.”
Mwakhwawa appointment awaits confirmation by the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament.
Top prosecutor
Meanwhile, the President is also reportedly going to appoint the new Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Sources say Mrs Fiona Atupele Mwale who previously served as a law reform officer with the Malawi Law Commission and is now a legal researcher with the Southern African Development (SADC) Tribunal is one of thsoe tipped to be the top prosecutor. The other top candidate is Bruno Kalemba, the Chief State Advocate.
According to Malawi Law Journal where Mwale is an associate editor, she is a barrister and has served as President of the Women Lawyers Association of Malawi.
She has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Leeds; a Master of Laws degree in Law in Development from the University of Warwick and a Post Graduate Diploma (Bar Vocational) from the University of Nottingham at Trent.
The current top prosecutor is Rose Kanyuka who is the first female lawyer to hold the office since it was established. She replace Wezzie Kayira who was recently moved to the Labour ministry as Director of Administration.
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