President Lazarus Chakwera held a meeting on corruption on Monday, which saw the attendance of government officials, including Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba and Director General of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Martha Chizuma. The meeting was aimed at consolidating the efforts of his administration in fighting corruption. Other participants included Minister of Justice Hon. Titus Mvalo, the Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Masauko Chamkakala.
President Chakwera has been vocal about his administration's commitment to fighting corruption since taking office in June 2020. He has vowed to root out corruption in Malawi, which has been a pervasive problem for many years. In his Facebook post, the president expressed his commitment to fighting corruption and his expectation that the institutions responsible for dealing with corruption will work collaboratively.
The meeting was held amid a controversy surrounding the suspension of Chizuma, the Director General of the ACB. Chizuma was suspended by Zamba on January 31st, following charges related to remarks she made in a leaked audio. It was reported that the decision to suspend Chizuma was made after a government official lied to Chakwera that the ACB had obtained a warrant of arrest against First Lady Monica Chakwera.
The suspension of Chizuma led to a legal battle, with the Malawi Law Society (MLS) obtaining an injunction against her criminal charges and interdiction. The government unsuccessfully challenged the injunction at the High Court before going to the Supreme Court of Appeal. However, DPP Chamkakala intervened by dropping the charges against Chizuma, forcing the Attorney General to withdraw the interdiction case at the Supreme Court and Zamba to cancel the interdiction.
Zamba is also the subject of corruption allegations made by former National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) chief executive officer Helen Buluma. Buluma told Parliament last year that Zamba attempted to influence the awarding of fuel supply contracts at NOCMA. The allegations against Zamba have yet to be proven.
Corruption is a significant problem in Malawi, with the country ranking 123rd out of 180 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. The government has taken steps to address corruption, such as the establishment of the Financial Intelligence Authority to combat money laundering and the drafting of a new National Anti-Corruption Strategy. However, there is still a long way to go in the fight against corruption in Malawi.
In conclusion, the meeting chaired by President Chakwera on corruption was an important step towards consolidating the efforts of his administration in fighting corruption in Malawi. The attendance of government officials, including the Director General of the ACB, Martha Chizuma, who was recently suspended, highlights the government's commitment to addressing corruption in the country. While Malawi has taken steps to combat corruption, there is still a long way to go in the fight against this pervasive problem.