Stop demonizing PAC for rejecting Martha Chizuma—CDEDI
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has taken a swipe at some organizations and social commentators who have launched attacks on the members of the Parliamentary Public Affairs Committee (PAC) for rejecting the appointment of Ombudsman Martha Chizuma as the new Director General (DG) of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa argues that attacking and demonizing statutory committees and constitutional offices when some sectors of the society are not happy with the decisions they have made in relation to their mandate and laws governing them and the republican constitution is a breeding ground for dictatorship.
Namiwa adds that attacks and demonizing of PAC and its membership defeats the very same purpose for which it was established and the separation of power.
The CDEDI boss has made the sentiments in a statement issued in Blantyre today.
Namiwa wonders why Chizuma’s rejection has caused public when she is not the first one whose appointment PAC has rejected to confirm.
He cited the recent rejection of Atuweni Juwaweyi Abermodji as DG for the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA).
“CDEDI does not side and support any conduct or actions that pose a threat to the survival of our democracy and interfere with the rule of law. In the interest of transparency and accountability, CDEDI would like to inform the public that we already wrote Madam Chimuza on April 30th, 2021, congratulating her for coming out successful in the strenuous interviews and her subsequent approval by the President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera. In the letter, CDEDI did challenge Chizuma to desist from the tendency of applying the law very selectively, a route that she seemingly took by focusing on the ills of the immediate past ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and those associated with it,” reads part of the letter.
In its congratulatory message, CDEDI outlined a number of issues to the fearless Ombudsman, which were waiting for her on her desk as the new ACB Director.
They included the unanswered questions surrounding the plunder of the MK6.2 Billion Covid-19 funds; the now forgotten 6th July independence celebrations expenditure report, which Chakwera promised to make it available to Malawians within a month; the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) fuel supply scandal; the State House Crossroads Hotel accommodation scandal and the dubious awarding of contracts of unjustifiable huge amounts of money to very suspicious contractors by the current administration; among other issues.
Thus, Namiwa believes all the insults and backlash on PAC are uncalled for, unwarranted, unjustifiable, and very bad for democracy and should not be condoned at any cost.
“Let us respect the rule of law by acknowledging the separation of powers. Madam Chizuma is just a victim of deep trenched corruption in the country in both the previous and the Tonse Alliance Administration because looking at the composition of PAC, it is very clear that Tonse Alliance Government enjoys majority membership thereof. It means both the ruling and the opposition camps are not comfortable with Chizuma. We should, therefore, be afraid as country, because we have a crop of MPs in parliament who are paying lip service on the war against corruption, and that includes the current Tonse Alliance administration,” he alleges.
Namiwa further argues that as much as there is politics involved in the issue, PAC members did not break any law since they have used their conscious to rate Chizuma, stressing that this is the very same yardstick they used to measure all other appointees in the past.
“CDEDI would like to warn Malawians of good will to be vigilant all the time to stand up against all unpopular decisions that have the potential to drag the country back into dictatorship. We should also let all the statutory committees and constitutional offices to discharge their duties without undue pressure and unnecessary influence! Finally, as a nation, we should at all cost desist from emotional appeals when dealing with matters of national importance,” he concludes.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has given PAC seven days to redo the interview and confirm Chizuma’s appointment or face nationwide demonstrations.
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IT IS AN OPEN SECRET THAT DPP AND ITS BEDFELLOW UDF ARE VERY AFRAID OF MARTHA CHAZUMA BECAUSE OF THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CORRUPTION. THIS IS THE VERY REASON WHY THESE TWO PARTIES ARE AND WILL REMAIN IN OPPOSITION.
MCP’S AND PRESIDENT CHAKWERA POSITION ON MARTHA CHAZUMA IS VERY CLEAR SO DPP AND ITS SYMPATHISER CDEDI HAVE NOWHERE TO HIDE.
CDEDI thank you for enlightening us. Yours are very very genuine arguments. Awa agung’ung’u a Tonse Misalliance akufuna alowetse ndale mumaofesimu. They managed to capture the judiciary, now they also want to capture the ACB. The Malawi Chewa Party ( MCP) must be reminded that we are in a democratic era where institutions such as PAC must be left free to exercise their constitutional powers of voting over an issue and the outcome of the same be respected by all Malawians. Chakwera must not confuse our democracy by intimidating PAC. WELL DONE CDEDI you are the only CSO which is… Read more »
It is the system that rejected her. If at all you choose to blame anyone, then blame the system not PAC.
Namiwa is right I think chizuma She is been betrayed by the same ruling mps but she is biased as namiwa said in the article indipendence celebrate money crossroads hotel noccoma saga etc never investigated means she is after opposite way
alll Malawians who want to see their country propser will only know that we had a cartel for a public appointment committee. It is disgusting and PAC must be demonized clearly for that is what they are
I beg to differ with CDEDI. There is a disturbing pattern in the scoring and that pattern shows there was collusion towards an agenda. 9 members scored her 25 out of 25. it appears to me these were aware that there was an opposing force bent to fail Martha and they gave full marks just to counter the opposing force. Equally the opposing evil force knew that there was a positive force for Martha and the best they can do is all the 9 to score her ones so that she does not pass. I have issues with both camps… Read more »
When we say CDEDI or Namiwa is a mouthpiece of dpp this is it. All along what Namiwa does is backing whatever is in favour of dpp. He is like the I-threes of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Was PAC supposed to conduct interviews. What were the scores for? This is utter nonsense.
Martha Chizuma is a good lady but she is compromised politically. She leans towards the whims of Chakwera. She is being rejected because of the fear that she will weaponise the ACB and deal ruthlessly with politicians. Its all about politics. Otherwise, of the current crop of DGs available, she is head over shoulders above the rest.
Tsopano za lowa mkalasi. This is a policy issue and fighting policy is fighting your self because policies were approved and accepted. Plalibepo nkhani apa. However, the assessment rubric should be evaluated. on the other hand Chizuma is only outspoken, not the smartest. Mbiri yake tikuidziwa.
All this circus boils down to the fact that there is untold duplication of effort in the process followed when appointing, determining and approving individuals in certain positions. These people go through an interview panel, from there a successful candidate/s name/s is/are sent to the president to choose or approve. Once all that is done, PAC’s duty is to confirm the nomination. Why should a head of state’s choice go through another process of confirmation, for what? That is where the contentious jinx crops-in. Such duplicity would have been avoided if the powers of appointing by a head of state… Read more »