Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament this afternoon has confirmed Ombudsman Martha Chizuma as the new Czar of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Face of Malawi can confirm.
The move by PAC to rescind its decision in confirming Chizuma as the new Director General of ACB was made despite disapprovals from members of the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Earlier during the meeting, some DPP PAC members moved out of the meeting questioning the process in the manner the committee is handling it business.
In his remarks, Parliamentarian for Mulanje Bale Victor Musowa argued that as long as they were pleased with the decision to rescind its earlier stand on the position of the Ombudsman, there was a need for the Committee to first present its report to the whole house as demanded by the leader of the House, Richard Chimwendo Banda.
Speaking after the meeting PAC chairperson Joyce Chitsulo defended the Committee’s decision to rescind its verdict having denied her last week saying it is within the procedures to have the committee change its mind.
She further said that the Committee adopted the motion which was moved by a Member of Parliament from Dowa North East Sam Kawale to have them rescind their earlier decision.
Chitsulo has since said that she is happy that Chizuma has been confirmed.
“I am personally happy, I have been saying this that I for one would love to see Chizuma confirmed,” Chitsulo said.
Last week PAC rejected Chizuma as head of the graft busting body after he she was appointed by President Lazars Chakwera.
PAC decision not to confirm Chizuma attracted public anger as members of the general public in conjunction with human rights advocates under the banner Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) planned to hold demonstrations tomorrow, Tuesday, to force PAC rescind its decision and confirm Chizuma.
Meanwhile, HRDC has called off the demonstrations they planned to hold tomorrow which were dubbed Bring back our Martha Chizuma following the recent development.
According to HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence said that now that Chizuma has been confirmed to be the Czar of ACB which was their main agenda of the protests, there is a need to call them off.
