CHRR slams AG, MERA board on ‘careless, insensitive ‘ defence of CEO
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has described as careless and insensitive remarks by the Attorney General (AG) and Malawi Energy Regulatory Authoritys (MERA) board in defense of the newly-appointed acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ishmael Chioko who has charges bordering on cash-gate and power abuse.
Recently, MERA board chairperson Bishop Joseph Bvumbwe and Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale defended Chioko’s appointment saying that he is not guilty as he has not been convicted by any court.
Kaphale was quoted as saying that, “You dont want to freeze peoples lives simply because there are suspects. One has to be tried if he has a case and besides he is just acting.”
But in a statement signed by CHRR Executive Director Timothy Ntambo described the remarks an insult to Malawians and an assault to the integrity that goes with such senior public offices.
“While sympathetic to fact that anyone is deemed innocent until proven guilty, we at CHRR feel MERA board should have accorded Chiokos appointment a broader and holistic picture in light of the devastating cash-gate scandal the country is grappling with.
“When MERAs former CEO, Raphael Kamoto, was sent on forced leave to pave way for investigations into an alleged diversion of K3 billion from the Price Stabilisation Fund, the move was very progressive and welcome. But replacing him with one Chioko who is already in court answering Cashgate-related cases defeats the very essence of professional and moral integrity in appointing people to such positions. This is setting a bad precedence,” reads part of the statement.
Ntambo added thatthe move is not only professionally and morally unpardonable, but also sends wrong signals to Malawians and development partners out there on governments commitment on governments sincerity in ending cash-gate.
“In light of the foregoing, CHRR calls upon government to reverse Chiokos appointment till the case he is answering comes to a logical conclusion in a competent court of law,” said part of the release.
The statement underscores that integrity is integral to sustaining public trust in government, as espoused under Section 12 of the Constitution of Malawi and government to be championing integrity in public offices, rather than eroding it.
Was Kamoto Chioko’s boss or he is coming from another company where he did the cash-gate he is answering about? We are informed about how much Kamoto abused(3bn) at MERA, will it not be wise that the informant do us a favour by telling us how much Chioko abused? It is wrong that these issues are always commented by politically motivated people who does not know anything about law. You can easily comment about Bushiri flying in air, MCP infighting, Uladi’s doctorate, Catholic priest’s sexual abuse and many other common issues. But when it comes to a thing attached to… Read more »
The reasoning behind hiring the service of the so called ‘acting ceo’ is very barbaric and uncouth. how can they say it is because he is not guilty yet they are the ones who sent his senior on forced leave??? was the former senior (CEO) guilty? that’s absurdity of highest degree. STOP THE STUPIDITY.
Mtambo is brainless and doesnt deserve to be heading CHRR. How can he dispute legal opinion from one Attorney General? Does he think that he is smarter than Kalekeni Kaphale. Mtambo doesnt belong to this land. He is one useless human being. He better go and rot in hell.
Listen to yourself stooge. What do you mean by “does he think that he is smarter than kaleleni”. Vuto la anthu opanda nzeru ndilimenero. You always things they way they are. Typical of sycophants and stooges. Chioko is answering charges in court and what it means is that he was supposed to be put aside until the case was don and verdict delivered . This is why Paul mphiwyo, Leonard Karonga, and many others were put aside
The attorney general has goofed big time! One wonders what type of advice he gives to government if he can’t see anything wrong, both morally or legally on such straight forward decision as to appoint or not to appoint a criminal suspect to leadership position in a parastatal organization. Ironically, the previous CEO was sent on forced leave to merely pave way for investigations. Yet in the current situation, the person is actually already answering to charges in court – how absurd is this! And the AG shows his low regard for our intelligence by suggesting that the decision is… Read more »
“Muslim cleric says Malawi has ‘wrong people’ in strategic positions.” It’s easy to see why!
this means malawi is lacking pple with high intergrity who can lead parastals like mera
Timothy Mtambo always sees the other side of things that why he always sees anus in people than the good things in front in his mathanyula glasses
What double standards! Kamoto has been sent on forced leave yet he has not been proven guilty. Using the same reasoning the AG and the Board is giving for appointing Chioko, Mr kamoto should not have been sent on forced leave in the first place as he is not guilty.
@Be human , I am buying your reasoning, we cant penalize someone based on issues which was done at his legal film and the fact that he was handling a case for his legal client, to me he is free unless if this foolish Mtambo can tell me that one should be answering for sins commited by someone, lets use our head properly, the head is not just used for decoration, both Kalekeni and the Chairman of Mera have done the right thing, they evaluated the people who are able to be given the acting position,
@ humane: You are foolish and very foolish indeed!! APM has elected bill boards almost throughout Malawi and he is promoting integrity thru them……!! Do you see integrity in this appointment!! If I may ask, how far did you go with education? I suggest you do not understand the meaning of integrity!! Why do people like you waste time defending umve? Can’t you see Mtambo is more less like assisting your party (DPP) to walk the rhetoric you are promoting……!! My fellow Malawians, DPP followers are dunderheads and it is a waste of time to argue with them, otherwise the… Read more »