Chilima insists on stripping Malawi president of immunity even if Chakwera wins  

Vice-President Saulos Chilima has  insisted that  there should be a  repeal of Section 91 (2) of the Constitution, to strip off immunity for a sitting President from criminal prosecution, saying  even if the opposition alliance torchbearer Lazarus Chakwera win, they should not give the presidency licence to commit corrupt crimes.

Chilima, who is UTM Party leader, was speaking in an impromptu media interview to journalists beamed live on Times TV on Sunday after conducting a campaign political rally in Lilongwe.

Asked by a journalist his commitment to fight corruption, Chilima said it is not changed.

“We have instruments to fight corruption in the country but we need to strengthen them,” pointed out Chilima.

“One important issue is to remove the presidential immunity,” he said.

Chilima said the Head of State should not be immune from prosecution during their term of office.

“There are people who engage in corruption in the name of the President because he is not indicted. So if the immunity is removed, there will be no shielding of corrupt fat cats,” said Chilima, who is running mate to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera.

He reiterated that a sitting President is not supposed to have immunity so that he, like any other person, should be tried in court if found on the wrong side of the law while in office.

Section 91 of the Republican Constitution gives immunity from civil lawsuits and criminal charges to a person holding the office of President or performing the functions of President.

Section 91 (2) reads: “No person holding the office of President shall be charged with any criminal offence in any court during his term of office.”

However, a former president loses immunity and is liable to prosecution for any acts done in his official capacity.

Chilima has been accusing the current  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration of being riddled with corruption, nepotism and cronyism.