PAC says Mutharika’s corruption fight ‘compromised’

Church led civil society organisation, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) says President Peter Mutharika fight against corruption is compromised because the graft busting body, the Anti Corruption is not free from political influence.

PAC chairman Felix Chimgota said Wednesday that the fight against corruption is not yielding results as expected.

“During the tripartite elections, all presidential candidates, including the incumbent promised to do more in the fight against corruption but it seems this is not the case now,” said Chingota as Malawi commemorated the World Anti Corruption Day.

Chingota noted that as long as the President has powers to appoint the director of the Anti Corruption Bureau, the fight against corruption would still be a charade.

Malawi is commemorating the day just days after Mutharika told the BBC that he does not know where money realised from the presidential jet sale went raising questions of high corruption in the former regime.

The commemoration also comes amid economic turbulence following the withdrawal of aid by donors because of high level corruption which saw billions of money plundered at Capital Hill.

Chigota said the best way corruption fight can have meaningful outcome is only when the appointment of the ACB top appointments is not done by the President but rather parliament.

“ACB should be politically independent,” said Chingota.

Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.