Chizuma takes up post as boss of Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau
Chizuma resigned from the office of the Ombudsman on Monday to take up her new post
RUSTENBURG, June 1 (ANA) – Malawi’s Martha Chizuma has resigned from her position as the country’s Ombudsman to take up a new position as director general of its Anti-Corruption Bureau.
“The time has come to step into a new career path,“ Chizuma wrote on her Facebook page on Monday evening.
“I depart with warm memories of my time in the Office of the Ombudsman, at Police, at MHRC [Malawi Human Rights Commission] and Prison. I leave having learnt a lot from amazing group of people who have the right heart for this country.”
Chizuma said the government of Malawi had taken a chance on her by appointing her as ombudsman in 2015.
In the post, she handled 14,224 cases, managed to close 3,504, made a determination in 346 cases and issued 16 investigation reports over a five-year period.
Chizuma was confirmed as director-general of the Anti-Corruption Bureau two weeks ago, following a public outcry and threats of protests from pressure groups after Malawi’s Public Appointment Committee had initially rejected her.
She needed to score at least 17 out of 25 points to be confirmed after President Lazarus Chakwera nominated her following interviews, but the committee scored her 14 points.
Chizuma had been heralded for her role as ombudsman where she investigated a number of irregularities, including the employment of people — often without the relevant qualifications — without following due process.
She recently removed five top officials at Malawi’s communications regulator after finding they were illegally appointed.
Radio station Capital FM Malawi reported two weeks ago that Public Appointments Committee chairperson Joyce Chitsulo had undertaken to only advertise the vacant post of ombudsman once Chizuma resigned.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa