By Mercy Matonga:
The contract for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma expires this year, with stakeholders expressing different views on her tenure.
President Lazarus Chakwera appointed Chizuma to the position in April 2021 before being confirmed by the Public Appointments Committee (Pac) of Parliament in May the same year.
Her term will go down in history as one marked by controversy.
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For instance, she became the first ACB boss to be arrested while in office after an alleged leaked audio of her discussing matters related to the fight against corruption.
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But her popularity started right after Chizuma, a former Ombudsman, was first rejected by Parliament’s Pac, only to be saved by public outrage, forcing lawmakers to reverse course and confirm her.
But amid the uncertainty over her future, leading voices on governance matters yesterday hailed Chizuma as a determined crusader against corruption.
They, however, say her efforts have fallen short due to “overwhelming” political pressure to undermine her efforts.
For instance, Youth and Society Executive Director Charles Kajoloweka commended Chizuma for prosecuting cases of suspected corruption, including at the highest level of the State.
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“For instance, senior officials in government, including those that are close to the presidency, were arrested on corruption charges in unprecedented efforts. Her tenure has also been marked by transparency and accountability by, for example, constantly updating citizens on the ACB’s activities.
“We have seen tremendous change at ACB, not only in Chizuma as a person but in the institution, in terms of public engagement,” Kajoloweka said.
However, Kajoloweka observed that some factors have led to the apparent stagnation of the fight against corruption.
He said, for instance, that right steps she took in the fight against corruption angered some powerful forces, thereby frustrating the fight against corruption.
“You saw [cases of] political intimidation and senseless attacks on her leadership that undermined her efforts. The political intimidation had a significant impact on the ACB and its officers, as they were now focused on their personal security and well-being. Confidence began to dwindle and we saw the ACB withdrawing a number of cases, raising questions about the bureau’s sanity,” Kajoloweka said.
People’s Federation for National Peace and Development Executive Director Edward Chaka said what Chizuma has done at ACB has given women confidence, such that they now understand that they can pick up any role “and deliver”.
“I am looking at it from a gender perspective. What Chizuma has done has given policymakers an opportunity to see that, when given a chance, women are as good as men. I hope that this will open doors for other women to take up public positions of influence. It will also give girls and women confidence in their abilities,” he said.
On his part, Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency Executive Director Willy Kambwandira said judging Chizuma’s success rate is hard due to the difficult circumstances she operated in.
“We are all aware that there have been coordinated efforts from other law enforcement agencies, including the Executive, to frustrate her work. There has never been genuine political will to support her.
“Therefore, it will be unfair to subject her to a performance assessment. We are not surprised that Chizuma has gone on holiday,” Kambwandira said.
Blantyre-based political analyst Chimwemwe Tsitsi said, overall, he would have loved to see ACB performing differently but pinpointed Chizuma’s arrest over the leaked audio as a turning point for the bureau’s performance.
“ACB has been quiet since her arrest. We have not seen many cases moving. We have not seen big cases being prosecuted and we have not seen ACB secure a win in those big cases. Corruption in the country remains as it has been for a long time,” Tsitsi said.
However, Tsitsi credited Chizuma for enhanced public awareness of the bureau.
Since May 2021, the bureau has arrested a number of high-profile politicians, including State Vice President Saulos Chilima, Cabinet ministers Newton Kambala, Kezzie Msukwa, presidential aides Chris Chaima Banda and Pastor Charles Thom, former inspector General of Police George Kainja, former ACB boss Reyneck Matemba, among others.
However, the bureau was criticised for dropping the high-profile prosecution of former president Bakili Muluzi after over a decade of trying to convict him of alleged corruption in courts.
The bureau also dropped without charge the case of the President’s Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga.
When contacted, Chizuma refused to comment on contractual matters saying: “No comment from me.”
