PAC approves Mzikamanda as Malawi’s new anti-graft body head

Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament has approved the appointment of High Court Judge Rezine Mzikamanda as the new Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director.

President Joyce Banda appointed Justice Mzikamanda as new director of the anti-graft body last week   and government submitted his name to the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament for confirmation.

On Tuesday, government spokesman Moses Kunkuyu confirmed to Nyasa Times that Justice Mzikamanda’s name has been approved by Parliament.

“I have got the official confirmation of Justice Mzikamanda as ACB Director. That I can confirm,” Kunkuyu told Nyasa Times.

Mzikamanda: New ACB boss

Mzikamanda will fill the position that has been vacant for close to five months after Alex Nampota was booted out .

Government terminated the contract of Nampota, more than a year before its expiry, for alleged abuse of office just a few months after President Banda took over regime.

He was arrested and released on bail on allegations that he pocketed about K1.5 million in external travel allowances for a United Kingdom trip which he reportedly never undertook.

The former ACB head then sued for millions of kwacha the country’s Attorney General, Ralph Kasambara, and Chief Secretary to the Government, Bright Msaka, challenging their decision to terminate his services.

He also filed a suit against the Inspector General of Police Loti Dzonzi for summoning him to explain how he had been discharging his duties as ACB Director, which was contrary to Section 21(1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.

The absence of a director at ACB has halted a number of prosecutions by the body, a development which has not gone down well with most donor agencies like Britain’s Department for International Development (DfID)  who have been forced to withhold their funding to the bureau until a new director is put in place.

Norway joined other donors in arguing that delays in appointing the ACB director eroded the confidence they have in government’s commitment to combating corruption.

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