Ireland calls for quick appointment of ACB Director

The Irish Ambassador to Malawi Mrs. Liz Higgins has urged the southern African country to quickly appoint a new Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau-ACB to ensure continued support to the Bureau.

Mrs Higgins said Thursday when Malawi and Ireland signed a 250 million Euros funding directed to the anti graft body, towards monitoring of this year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme-FISP.

“We would like to see the ACB director being appointed as soon as possible,” she said in an interview with Zodiak Online.

Mrs. Higgins said her government would still withhold a sum of a 100 thousand Euros meant for the implementation of a corruption perception survey until the ACB has a new director.

Mrs Higgins said despite having confidence in the anti-graft body, they would still closely monitor every penny, so that it is used effectively.

“There are two parts to the funding and the second part is for the corruption perception survey of about 100 million Euros. We would not release this until next year and before we release that we would like to see the director of ACB appointed,” she said.

She said her government would still support the monitoring of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme-FISP- against corrupt practises.

Finance Minister Dr Ken Lipenga conceded that there is indeed need for an immediate appointment of a new ACB boss but said that cannot happen overnight.

“I agree that we need leadership at the ACB, we will appoint a new director. But we have to agree that there are process to be followed and these things do take time,” said Lipenga.

In June this year Britain’s Department for International Development-DfID-suspended its support to the ACB, citing the absence of the director at the bureau as main reason.

The office of director at ACB fell vacant after the holder, Mr Alex Nampota, was fired by government and is now answering charges of abuse of office.