Human Rights Activists Pen Speaker Gotani Hara Requesting Information Pertaining Martha Chizuma Interview By PAC

The NGO Gender Coordination Network, on behalf of the Women Manifesto Movement, Women Lawyers Association, National Advocacy Platform, and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), has written the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly requesting access to information pertaining to the meeting between the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) and Ombudsman Martha Chizuma, as held yesterday.

In a statement, the network says the request is in respect to sections 6 and 12 of the constitution of Malawi, as well as articles 5, 14 and 15 of the Access to Information Act.

Among others, it says the consortium’s affiliates want to be furnished with copies of the following:  Minutes or detailed report of the meeting proceedings, guidelines or criteria of assessment for the interviews, textual or audio verbatim recording covering the actual interview process and individual score sheets(with justifications) that were utilized in tallying the final score.

“Kindly also note that we should be able to comply with any further procedural requirements from your end over this request,” reads the statement in part.

Chizuma’s rejection by PAC to be the Czar for the graft busting body has attracted anger form the members of the general public and other stakeholders.