Non-compliance rocks assets law

 State-owned enterprises have emerged as major culprits of non-compliance with the assets law in a latest Office of the Director of Public Officers’ Declarations assessment report has over 10 registering zero compliance.

The report, focusing on 203 institutions earmarked for assessment in the 2021/22 financial year, shows that public officers working at Malawi Housing Corporation, Department of Civil Aviation, Lilongwe Handling Company, National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Public Trust, Nasawa Technical College and Central West Education Division are the worst performers with zero compliance.

The list also includes Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Greenbelt Authority, Medical Council of Malawi, Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi and National Public Events.

 The Public Officers (Declaration of Assets, Liabilities and Business Interests) Act compels listed public officers, including the President, Vice-President and members of Parliament (MPs), to declare their assets annually.

The report says elected public officers such as President Lazarus Chakwera, Vice-President Saulos Chilima, Cabinet ministers and M Ps have all complied with the law.

Reads in part the report dated April 12 2023: “Listed public officers under the political category include the Presidency, Cabinet, leaders of political parties represented in Parliament and ward councillors.

“In 2021/22 financial year, listed public officers in the political category were rated to have high compliance status. Specifically, an overall 98 percent compliance rate was recorded.”

Overall, the office said it earmarked 14 227 public officers (LPOs) who were required to declare. They were drawn from 203 institutions.

“Of the LPOs, 10 923 submitted their declarations, which represents 77 percent compliance rate. Thus, 3 304 LPOs are deemed to have defaulted the submission, representing 23 percent default rate,” details the report.

R e a c t i n g t o t h e assessment, the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency has called for sanctions against the non-compliant officers.

The centre’s executive director Willy Kambwandira said: “We are encouraged with the compliance rate and greatly pleased that the Executive and other elected leaders have led by example.

“However, we ex p e c t Parliament to take necessary sanctions and incentives on non-compliant institutions and officers as stipulated by the law.”

Section 18 of the law calls for dismissal of listed officers who “without reasonable cause, fail to submit the required declaration”.