The government has less than a month to fill the vacant post of director general (DG) of the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) following the departure of the former boss, Martha Chizuma, whose contract expired on May 5, 2024 after serving for three years.
Malawi’s Constitution mandates that the government fill the ACB DG vacancy within six months of it becoming vacant.
However, over five months after Chizuma’s departure, the Ministry of Justice has said it is yet to shortlist candidates who applied for the post.
“We have received applications for the position of ACB DG, though the shortlisting process has yet to commence. We expect to complete the shortlisting by mid-October 2024,” the ministry’s spokesperson, Frank Namangale, said in an interview.
He added that the Ministry of Justice’s primary role has been to “meticulously screen” the applications and select those that meet all the stipulated requirements for the post.
“Given the high-profile nature of this position, we are ensuring that every step of the process is conducted with the utmost diligence and integrity.
“Additionally, the ACB will determine the venue for the shortlisting, where both Ministry of Justice and ACB personnel will be present to carry out this crucial task,” Namangale said.
However, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency, Willy Kambwandira, believes that the ministry is falling short in its responsibility regarding the recruitment of the ACB boss.
“They knew they would not be renewing the contract of the former DG [Chizuma] and one would think the recruitment process would begin in earnest. But this did not happen,” Kambwandira said.
He added that the recruitment of the ACB DG is long overdue and has placed the bureau in a difficult position, considering the mandates the ACB holds.
“The ACB is key in scrutinising and vetting public contracts. It is now evident that the ministry is in a hurry to recruit the ACB boss, leading one to feel that the delay was deliberate to allow people to cut corners,” Kambwandira said.
He appealed to the government to handle the recruitment process transparently, ensuring that candidates for the post possess the relevant qualifications and attributes necessary to fulfil their duties as ACB DG.
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