May 17, 2021 Pius Nyondo -Nyasa Times 4 Comments
The Public Appointments Committee (PAC), meeting on Monday, has eventually confirmed ombudsman Martha Chizuma as director general for graft-busting body the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) after it had earlier rejected her with abysmal scores.
Last week PAC, using a scoring procedure during interview confirmation, scored Chizuma 14.9 which was less than the minimum 17 mark required for her to be confirmed for the ACB job.
Martha Chizuma – New ACB Director General
But her rejection did not amuse Malawians, including the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) which threatened a march to parliament on Tuesday, May 18 and Dowa North West Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator and chief whip who gave a notice Sunday that a motion to rescind the decision of not confirming Chizuma be moved in the PAC meeting slated for Monday, May 17.
Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament this afternoon has confirmed Ombudsman Martha Chizuma as the new Czar of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Face of Malawi can confirm.
The move by PAC to rescind its decision in confirming Chizuma as the new Director General of ACB was made despite disapprovals from members of the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Earlier during the meeting, some DPP PAC members moved out of the meeting questioning the process in the manner the committee is handling it business.
In his remarks, Parliamentarian for Mulanje Bale Victor Musowa argued that as long as they were pleased with the decision to rescind its earlier stand on the position of the Ombudsman, there was a need for the Committee to first present its report to the whole house as demanded by the leader of the House, Richard Chimwendo Banda.
“For the interest of justice and restitution, we shall pursue this and all financial crimes to logical conclusion.”
Malawi is a crime scene that a day hardly passes without lacking a stomach-turning story of a grand- white collar theft especially from those working in the public service and it has been established that the state-owned National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) is a criminal syndicate.
Acting CEO Helen Buluma: NOCMA is a criminal syndicate
NOCMA, a government of Malawi wholly-owned company has yet again been embroidered in theft of two million litres of diesel worth about K3, billion has been stolen between January 2018 and January 2019 with public officer working at the oil company sharing the loot.
The NGO Gender Coordination Network, on behalf of the Women Manifesto Movement, Women Lawyers Association, National Advocacy Platform, and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), has written the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly requesting access to information pertaining to the meeting between the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) and Ombudsman Martha Chizuma, as held yesterday.
In a statement, the network says the request is in respect to sections 6 and 12 of the constitution of Malawi, as well as articles 5, 14 and 15 of the Access to Information Act.
Among others, it says the consortiumâs affiliates want to be furnished with copies of the following:Â Minutes or detailed report of the meeting proceedings, guidelines or criteria of assessment for the interviews, textual or audio verbatim recording covering the actual interview process and individual score sheets(with justifications) that were utilized in tallying the final score.
A consortium of Civil Society Organisations has penned the Speaker of Parliament demanding information pertaining to the meeting between the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) and Ms Martha Chizuma, as held on the 11th May, 2021. In a letter dated 12th May, 2021 and signed by five leaders of different CSOs, copies of a number of […]