CDEDI Says PAC Did Not Break Any Law Over Decision To Reject Martha Chizuma As ACB Head

Controversial good governance grouping Centre for Democracy Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI) has come to the rescue of the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament over accusations surrounding the Committee and Ombudsman Martha Chizuma.

Yesterday, PAC turned Chizuma down as a Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) following her appointment by the President, Lazarus Chakwera to head the graft busting body.

According to PAC, Chizuma who is dubbed as the Iron Lady following her fierce way of handling complaints submitted to her office of the Ombudsman, failed to impress the Committee on why she should be hired as ACB director.

The rejection of Chizuma by PAC was heavily received by the members of the general public.

Reacting to the development, Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI executive director said there is nothing wrong with PAC’s decision to reject Chizuma as the members of the committee did not break any law while admitting that there is politics involved.

“Much as there is politics involved in the issue, PAC members did not break any law since they have used their conscious to rate Chizuma, the very same yardstick they used to measure all other appointees in the past,” said Namiwa.

Namiwa further added that the rejection of Chizuma has been welcomed by some sectors of the society as the first time PAC rejected someone.

“Some sectors of the society have reacted to Chizuma’s rejection as if it is the first time for PAC to reject someone, by conveniently forgetting that not a long time ago the very same PAC rejected appointment of the Financial Intelligence Unit Director,” he said.

Meanwhile, leader of the house Richard Chimwendo Banda has given PAC five days to present Parliament with a detailed report on how they failed Chizuma as the new ACB head as he suspects foul play on the matter.