LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- Malawi Civil Society Led Black Economic Empowerment Movement (MaBLEM) taskforce is calling de-politicization of Corruption Bureau (ACB) from politicians and foreign governments on its quest to fight against corruption without fear and favour.
The grouping says ACB must be allowed to independently initiate, investigate, conclude and prosecute cases without pressure and undue political interference from both politicians and foreign governments.
The appeal comes amid mushrooming social media buzz as some individuals claiming to influencers and political party media teams are busy masquerading as reporters “who unfortunately are sharing misleading information including releasing secret information already under investigation thereby undermining the efforts of fighting corruption especially from political party led media teams”.
In a press statement made available to The Maravi Post on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 signed by MaBlem’s Chairperson and Coordinator Robert James Mkwezalamba and Fryson Chodzi respectively noted that the social media has been buzzed with accusations, truths, half-truths and gossip about the matter and to an extent it is becoming difficult what to believe or not.
Reads the statement, “We have noted that certain connected individuals are speaking with authority as it relates to corruption cases. Some of which compels to make us believe that these individuals are privy to classified information from either ACB or other Security agencies.
“Some of the people parading the information related to the corruption are well known citizens and social media influencers. To this effect it would be prudent for ACB and state security machinery to subpoena such individuals and groups to come forward with evidence and aide the investigation.
“Sadly, it has become a norm where arrests and eminent lists of suspects due for arrests are first discussed on social media and the ACB in some instances, have parried such allegations.
“Our main worry stems from the violation of basic human rights like being innocent until proven guilty, right to due process of the law, slandering of individuals which has culminated to rightfully undermining all the security sectors of the country as well as failure by the Law enforcement agents, like the Police to apprehend all who are violating the cyber security Laws,” reads part of MaBLEM taskforce statement.
The grouping however expressed worrisome on selective justice in Tonse administration corruption related to individuals and businessmen who donate to political parties for operation.
“If we as Malawi are to call donations and contribution to political parties and politically connected a ‘bribe’, then we must make a determination to say at what point does a ‘donation’ becomes a ‘bribe’, or ‘party financing or contribution’ becomes ‘corruption’.
“For instance, it is on record that businessman Mr. Ashan Simbi Phiri made a declaration on a national TV that he donated money to politicians and contributed funds and other resources to all major political parties. His company, Khato Civils, is bidding to implement the Salima – Lilongwe Water Project, would it be fair to conclude that the said donations made by Phiri to political parties were bribes to gain favour for his contract? reads the statement.
MaBLEM notes, “The 2019 and 2020 elections saw the most expensive campaigns that Malawi has ever seen. Political parties and politicians spent a fortune. Most of the resources, we can talk for a fact, came from different businesses and individuals of which some gets government contracts.
“If Malawi is ready to prosecute any business person making contributions and donations to politicians, political parties and other public interest institutions, we must also be willing to launch an investigation into each and every donation and contribution that the MCP, the DPP, the UTM, the UDF, AFORD and other political parties received. Then we must also zero in on the funding to politicians. As a country we must be clear what constitutes a bribe when people are donating and financing to political parties, politicians and other public interest institutions”.
“The first step is to build capacity of the Office of the registrar of political parties who shall in turn be tasked to ask all the political parties to account for all donations and contributions they received towards the 2019 and 2020 elections vis a vis juxtapose them with the contracts being awarded in different sectors. We have in Malawi political parties that have vehicles and displaying of wealth from ‘well-wishers’ and we have allowed that to be a normal thing.
“Moving forward, we would like Parliament to review the Political Parties Act towards making it mandatory for political parties to disclose and publish any donation and contribution above One Million Kwacha. This would be a deterrent to political systemic corruption.As part of judicial reforms, we once again call for the establishment special courts to try corruption cases. It is our conviction that in order to curb corruption, cases must be dealt with expeditiously,” appeals MaBLEM.
MaBLEM is a national network of progressive Civil Society Organization pushing for the Black Empowerment Agenda and comprises the academia, Media, Lawyers, Human rights activists, Business gurus, Politicians as well as Indigenous
persons among other interested groups.
