Mist over Nampota’s hiring as AG

Mist surrounds President Peter Mutharika’s purported “appointment” of private practice lawyer and former director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Alex Nampota.
Reports quoting unnamed State House officials have been rife since Sunday that the President had appointed the experienced Nampota as Attorney General (AG) to replace Anthony Kamanga SC, whose contract expired.
News about Nampota’s “appointment” came out alongside the hiring of Collins Magalasi, a former executive director of Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn), as chief economic adviser to the President.
Yesterday online media publication, Nyasa Times, reported that Nampota had turned down the appointment due to personal reasons.
But when contacted yesterday, Nampota could neither deny nor confirm the said appointment, saying he was not ready to say anything.
Said Nampota in a telephone interview: “I am not commenting anything. These things are in the hands of the President and I don’t think it’s the right time for me to discuss this. It will not be in order.”
And when pressed whether he would accept the appointment, Nampota insisted: “There will be a proper time for me to comment. Give me time and I will comment.”
However, Capital Hill sources told The Nation on Monday evening that Nampota’s appointment letter was already written and is held up at the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) awaiting some final arrangements.
Said the source: “The appointment letter is at OPC and has not yet been shared to the public. I should think the President is probably discussing some issues with Nampota before making the appointment public.”
But OPC spokesperson Arthur Chipenda said in an interview yesterday the President had not yet appointed a new AG.
Said Chipenda: “The appointment has not been made, that is the official position of government.”
His account was corroborated by newly appointed presidential press secretary Frederick Ndala Jnr who said: “The President has not made that appointment. When he makes it, you will be advised accordingly through this office.”
According to Ndala, the only appointment made by the President on Sunday was that of Magalasi.
Former president Joyce Banda appointed Kamanga, the former solicitor general, as AG on December 6 2012 and his contract, according to the Constitution, automatically expired after Banda exited from office following her loss in the May 20 Tripartite Elections.
Section 98(4) of the Constitution states that the office of Attorney General shall become vacant after the person holding that office has served for five years, or on his or her resignation or retirement, whichever is sooner.