Malawi says ombud post not yet vacant

The Public Appointments Committee says it will advertise the post of ombudsman after the resignation of Martha Chizuma, who has been appointed as the new director-general of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

RUSTENBURG, May 20 (ANA) – Malawi’s parliamentary committee on appointments will advertise the post of the ombudsman once the incumbent, Martha Chizuma, resigns, local media reported on Thursday.

Radio station Capital FM Malawi reported that Public Appointments Committee chairperson Joyce Chitsulo said the office of the ombudsman was not yet vacant.

Chizuma was this week confirmed as the director-general of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

The broadcaster reported that questions have been already raised on whether her successor has been identified.

The Public Appointments Committee confirmed her appointment on Monday after a week of public outcry and threats of mass demonstrations if she was not confirmed.

The committee rejected Chizuma last week, scoring her 14 out of 25 points. She needed at least to get 17 out of 25 to be confirmed.

This led to the leader of the house, Richard Chimwendo Banda, to request the committee to table a report stating reasons for rejecting her.

Pressure groups also demanded that Chizuma be confirmed for the post or else they would wage mass demonstrations.

Chizuma has been praised for her role as ombudsman, in which she investigated a number of irregularities, including employing people without following processes and, in most instances, appointing people with no qualifications.

Chizuma recently removed five top officials from posts at Malawi’s communications regulator after finding that they had been illegally appointed.

According to news website Malawi24 , 12 members voted in favour of Chizuma’s confirmation, while one abstained from the vote.

Four members of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party walked out of the meeting, insisting that the PAC should only adopt a report which would be presented in parliament and not discuss the motion.

The ambassadors of Ireland, Norway and the United States have congratulated Chizuma on her appointment and committed to partner with the people and government of Malawi to tackle serious and organised corruption.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher