By Iommie Chiwalo
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has asked Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to move an inch away from the current perception that is deemed to be selective application of justice.
In a statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, titled ” After the arrest of Chilima, who is next “, the organisation wonders why some ‘big fishes’ are not booked despite being named in serious corruption scandals.
An issue at hand, as highlighted by CDEDI Boss, is straight forward cases such as the one involving a Mercedes Benz allegedly given to the MCP Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka by the same business person.
Namiwa has since asked ACB Tsarina to ensure that the current approach is extended beyond the UTM party, which is a major partner in the Tonse Alliance government and cover those in the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), a major partner in the alliance.
Namiwa has cited the fresh revelations to do with abuse of office by the Secretary to President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba who is reported to have influenced and benefited from oil deals at the National Oil Company of Malawi where she is the Board Chairperson as an example of a more recent and straight forward case that deserves an ACB eye.
“From where we are standing, the trust Malawians have in the ACB will not only be short-lived but rather translate into a clear case of selective application of justice if these people directly connected to the MCP and President Chakwera are not arrested,” says Namiwa.
Among the numerous cases that are already in public domain, the ACB has also been reminded of the allowance scandal at the Accountant General’s department, which is a clear manifestation of abuse of office by senior government officials including the Mines Minister Albert Mbawala, the Director of Public Prosecutions Dr. Steve Kayuni, Accountant
General Jean Munyenyembe, the IFIMIS Director Felix Zangwazatha Sato and Human Resource Officer at the AG’s office Grace Mponela, who are alleged to have benefited immensely, but were left scot free when on the other hand over 80 junior civil servants were arrested and interdicted.
Another case to pursue is that President Chakwera’s own words confessed that his Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga was named in the ACB report, and was consequently suspended.
“Unless the above mentioned officials are summoned for questioning, just like the way it has been done with the Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, and the former Inspector General (IG) of the Malawi Police Service (MPS) Dr. George Kainja, then it will be construed by every well-meaning Malawian that the ACB is allowing some sectors of the society to be freely looting and plundering the country’s meagre resources with impunity as long as they are in or connected to the ruling MCP. This is very sad for Malawi’s hard won democracy. No one is above the law,”
But Chizuma has recently told the press that there are so many investigations undertaken by the Bureau of which majority are at an advanced stage.
Sad for Chilima as when appearing before Lilongwe magistrate court on Friday his title of Vice President only remained a name since Chikwera suspended him from all derogatory duties after he was named in the ACB report.
