JB missed opportunity to reclaim public trust—CHRR, Cedep
Malawi President Joyce Banda failed to reclaim public trust during a press conference held in Blantyre on Wednesday when she defended top government officials absolving them from the infamous Capital Hill looting said CHRR and CEDEP in a statement today.The two CSO’s in a statement in response to the press briefing at Sanjika, have called on President Banda and her ‘cohorts’ to rise up and acknowledge that the case we have at the moment is no laughing matter and must hence be treated as such.
Banda’s party officials and Cabinet ministers who thronged press briefing room yesterday clapped hands and cheered the president when she was defending them.
Banda talked of her resolve and renewed commitment to fight corruption. She said her administration will move swiftly to arrest civil servants suspected of being involved in the malpractice at Capital Hill.
Banda also said government will conduct forensic study of government accounts dating a few years back.
“While applauding the government on some positive developments so far registered since the matter ensued, we at CHRR and CEDEP believe that the government should take a further step in investigating or probing those senior government officials whose ministries let alone their departments are connected with these looting of public resources for purposes of not only clearing the impression that government is shielding some “big fish” but most importantly to pave way for smooth investigations on the matter.
We cannot agree more to The Nation newspaper editorial observation that “an accountant assistant or principal accountant is not an authorizing officer in the withdrawal of hundreds of millions of public funds from banks. There ought to be some big fish the drag net is either deliberately or otherwise failing to catch in the Capital Hill cash-gate saga,” reads the statement in part.
The CSO’s say such “big fish” should not only be probed but also be put on hold or even resign pending the investigations on the matter.
“This includes Minister of Finance, Accountant General, Secretary to the Treasury and others connected to this.
Regrettably, the President’s speech on the matter failed to demonstrate any political will towards this, a scenario that if left unchecked may reduce the state to a status of a failed state …,” reads the statement signed by Timothy Mtambo, CHRR acting executive director and Gift Trapence, Cedep Executive Director.
CHRR and CEDEP have since called upon all key players in country to rise to the occasion by amongst other things joining hands in seeking solutions to the crisis.
“It is only through a sober critical approach to the above two issues that we can holistically resolve this total threat and massacre on our national progress and hence sustain the already registered gains of our multiparty democracy,” reads the statement.
