CDEDI demands that the President should not be appointing director of ACB or Police Inspector General

CDEDI executive director, Sylvester Namiwa

* Presidential powers should be trimmed as promised in the election campaign

* An independent body should conduct interviews for the ACB Director position

* Demands addressing teachers’ grievances on COVID-19 risk allowances

* Demands update on K6.2 billion COVID-19 funds

* Is President Chakwera really a man of his words?

By Duncan Mlanjira

Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has written a petition to President Lazarus Chakwera to come out very clearly on one of his campaign promises to trim presidential powers, saying if this had been done, it could have paved way for the independence of the office of the Vice-President, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director and the Inspector General (IG) of the Malawi Police Service (MPS).

In a statement from its executive director, Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI says this is a follow up of its statement issued on July 27, 2020 in which it reminded Chakwera not to renegade on his campaign promises to trim presidential powers.

“CDEDI believes the war against corruption and theft of public funds can only be won if the independence of the offices of the ACB Director and the IG is guaranteed. This can only be achieved if the President let’s his hands off the appointment of the two officers.

“It is against this background that we challenge President Chakwera to let an independent body conduct interviews for those that have been shortlisted for the position of the ACB Director.

“It is worth pointing out that the tendency by any sitting President to appoint the ACB Director compromises the independence of the bureau.”

CDEDI further said it is at pains to see the President backtracking on his earlier promise that he would not accept to be conferred the honour of being the Chancellor of the public universities in the country as he is now presiding over graduation ceremonies — “something he passionately spoke against while he was occupying the opposition benches”.

“The President at some point justified his shameful departure from his own promise on the pretext of waiting for legislation on the same,” continues the statement.

“Who is the President waiting for to make the first move? Isn’t this the very same business-as-usual-kind of political rhetoric we are always fed? Is President Chakwera really a man of his words?”

As teachers continue their strike, CDEDI says the standoff between government and the Teachers’ Union of Malawi (TUM) is as a result of government’s know-it-all-kind of approach in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Malawians may recall that CDEDI has time without number warned both the previous administration of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as well as the current Tonse Alliance-led government to desist from making unilateral decisions when coming up with new guidelines aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The teachers’ standoff would have easily been avoided if government had made thorough consultations with all the relevant stakeholders regarding the issue of risk allowances.

“The teachers are echoing CDEDI’s sentiments that the Tonse Alliance government is applying preferential treatment when making its decision, a development that is very detrimental in a democratic dispensation.”

Thus CDEDI asks that there is need for transparency and a thorough consultative process with all the relevant stakeholders such as the academia; traditional, religious and political leaders; representatives of the civil society organisations and others in order to respond favourably to emerging issues in the course of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday morning, Member of Parliament for Mulanje Bale, Victor Musowa, threatened to boycott Parliament sitting and would only come back when students resume learning.

He promised to refund his allowances for the days he will be out of Parliament, saying it is unfair for the MPs — whose kids are studying abroad or in glamorous schools in the country — to be discussing issues in the august House when sons and daughters of poor Malawians are not learning because teachers are demanding risk allowances.

But Leader of the House, Richard Chimwendo Banda advised Musowa against boycotting Parliament, adding that the opposition should not politicise the teachers’ strike.

Meanwhile, the CDEDI statement says it is still waiting upon President Chakwera to update Malawians on the whereabouts the K5 billion out of the K6.2 billion COVID-19 funds.

“So far, all the arrests and interdictions that have been conducted

concern the alleged mismanagement of K1.2 billion by the district councils. Where has the rest of the money gone? When should we expect the next update from President Chakwera on the K5 billion.”

CDEDI is also reminding the President “to openly exonerate himself from serious nepotistic, favoutism, corruption and fraud allegations leveled against him and his senior State House and top government

officials by a member of his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former Parliamentarian from Kasungu district, Hon. Alex Major”.

“The said claims were also backed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) members of his MCP. His deafening silence on the matter is now raising eyebrows, and might be construed as an admission of the truth.

“If this is the case, then CDEDI has been vindicated that Malawians should expect another five wasted years, and not a new Malawi we were all made to believe was coming.”

CDEDI is a non-partisan, nongovernmental organization that was established in a quest to attain a well-informed and organized citizenry that can ably demand their social and economic rights at the same time hold duty bearers accountable for their actions.

Among many others, CDEDI aims at sensitizing the masses on matters of national importance, inculcate the spirit of a peaceful coexistence among people of different ethnic, political and religious affiliations.

It also provides civic education on people’s rights and responsibilities in economic independence and contribution towards national development and lobbying for the electoral law reforms.