Civil servants get festive holiday as Asset Declaration Offices to remain open

President Peter Arthur Mutharika has given civil servants a two- week holiday from December 23 to January 5 2015, but the Office of the Director of Public Officers’ Declaration will not close shop.

Mutharika has granted the holiday to civil servants to allow them to celebrate Christmas and New Year festivities with their families.

However, Mutharika singled out institutions that provide emergency and essential services such as hospitals, immigration, Police and Airports to remain operational.

But the Office of the Director of Public Officers’ Declaration has said its offices will also remain open during the festive period in order to receive asset declaration forms from listed public officers including President Mutharika and his deputy Saulos Chilima in accordance with Section 25 of the Public Officers (Declaration of Assets, Liabilities and Business Interest) Act, 2013.

Christopher Tukula, Director of Public Officers’ Declaration, said the deadline for submission of declaration forms is December 31, 2014 as such they cannot close shop.

Tukula also urged all listed public officers in southern and northern regions to submit their completed declaration forms to the Director eithr at Mzuzu City Council offices or the Blantyre City Council offices at least by December 15.

“The concerned public officers are further advised to note that the schedule has been devised as a measure to reduce travel and related logistical challenges which are likely to arise for officers to personally submit their declarations to the Director in Lilongwe.

“The arrangement also intends to guarantee easy and uninterrupted accessibility of the Directorate during the festive season,” said Tukula.

He said the initial declaration form can also be obtained through all controlling officers in the Public Service, Parliament Offices, district council offices, City Council offices and Town Council Offices.

Under Part A of the First Schedule of the said Act, public officers required to declare their assets are;

President, Vice President, Speaker and Deputy speakers of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, Leader and Treasurer of a political party represented in Parliament, Mayor and Councillors of City Councils and Councillors of District and Town Councils.

Part B has about 30 listed senior public officers including the Chief Justice, Attorney General, Secretary to the Cabinet, Solicitor General, Law Commissioner, Ombudsman, Registrar General, Judge of the High Court of Malawi and Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Director of Public Prosecution, Chief Immigration Officer, Auditor General, Administrator General and

While Part C has judicial officers, procurement officers, Officers in the Road Traffic Department, Officers of the Malawi Revenue Authority, Immigration Officers, State Advocates, Legal Aid Advocates and all public prosecutors, Police Traffic Officers and investigative officers, Advisors to the President and his deputy, Advisors to a cabinet minister, Accounting Personnel, Officers of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Officers of the Office of Director of Public Procurement.​