By Burnett Munthali
Should we really say we need a fresh, independent inquiry?
President Lazarus Chakwera’s 12-member commission must be taken to task and be investigated on the criteria they used to come with the final report which just got released.
The investigation should be conducted by an independent team of citizens, journalists, lawyers and other interested Malawians perhaps including the opposition.
The terms which this commission of inquiry followed for its findings following the inquiry into the mess surrounding the arrest of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma, saying the inquiry was part of government’s plan to fire Chizuma must be revisited now for sure in order we get to the bottom of this drama.
Malawians have heard from the government side. Let the opposition and other stake holders play their part and inform the nation on what exactly transpired. People would like to know the truth as to who instructed the Malawi police to arrest the Director General for the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Martha Chizuma.
Chizuma was in the wee hours of December 6, 2022 controversially arrested by the Malawi Police Service while in her night gown a situation which later saw Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni being suspended.
Retired Justice of Appeal Edward Twea and his 12-member commission of inquiry should be investigated how they worked and finally released results of their findings.
There is a high possibility that the commission of inquiry was paid to do a bad job or they were just incompetent because of old age or did they forget their job?
It is common that our judges in this country provide questionable judgements and the judiciary has been labeled as a rotten arm government time and again. The retired Justice is here being challenged and questioned how credible the findings are.
What was the motive of this commission’s findings, if they say there is reasonable ground to suspect that Chizuma committed offences and demonstrated lack of judgement in her leaked audio that led to her arrest?
Surely, this is another raw deal. Fake and jumbo plastic report.
One of the Maravi post readers, Temwa, said, ” Martha is overrated, look at Chakwera and Chilima we had hope but now boma likuwabvuta kuyendetsa.This corruption fight is just lip service.”
Agreeing with the argument, Mr Gunde of Maravi post readers said, ” Malawians knew pretty well that the commission of inquiry results will be ” Ng’ombe zayang’ana ku dazibomu,”.
Adding his weight on the same report, Hon. Bright Msaka SC said, “The Commission of Inquiry into the Martha Chizuma arrest has delivered its report. We have been sold a dummy.
As we are all complaining, it seems to me that we may be missing a few important points. Who drafted the TORs? What was intended to be achieved by those TORs?
It is clear that the TORs for the Commission of Inquiry were not intended to establish the truth surrounding the arrest. They were carefully crafted to give the appointing authority ammunition to go after Chizuma’s jugular.
We, the public, were hoodwinked into believing we were all chasing the same rabbit. The Government had a different agenda.”
The report is contrary to the expectations of many Malawians who are able to follow this issue and have published social media posts full of anger and dissatisfaction saying their understanding is that the inquiry was aimed at finding out who authorized the arrest of ACB Director, and why was she arrested on a leaked audio which happened seven months back and for which Chakwera publicly forgave Chizuma after giving her a strong warning.
Independent professional inquiry must be instituted at will so that the public knows who was really behind Chizuma’s arrest. The presidential commission has failed once again just like AIP. ACB should investigate the presidential Commission of Inquiry and I wish to ask some credible newspapers to come together and dig this issue in their own way as well. Honesty should take the lead in this matter. The truth will surely come out.
It is a deliberate move by President Chakwera to throw a drag net towards Chizuma as ACB boss as earlier this week Chakwera said he would in due course make orders following the recommendations of the broken commission of inquiry.
Chizuma should move in and do her job. Arrest those involved in corruption without fear or favour other than wait for weeks on end.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor
