The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) has supported calls by Vice-President Saulos Chilima for President Lazarus Chakwera to scraps presidential immunity.

Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa said in a statement released yesterday that by removing presidential immunity, the President would not have only delivered on one of his flagship campaign promises, but will also make a bold statement that he was not entangled in any corruption scandals.

He said: “Cdedi would like to put it to President Chakwera that changing tunes and dragging his feet on removing presidential immunity strengthens fears that first citizens entangle themselves in corrupt activities; hence, it’s safer remaining immune.”

Namiwa said many Malawians expect Chakwera to declare total war on corruption by amending  Section 91 of the Constitution, which shields first citizens from criminal prosecution while in office.

He said his organisation will not relent until the President scraps the presidential immunity or come out in the open and accept that he is compromised in the fight against corruption and, therefore, not fit to continue serving in the high office.

Addressing the nation on July 1, Chilima called for the amendment of Section 91(2) of the Constitution of Malawi, saying the section provides undue protection to the occupant of the office.

He described as irony that the country’s laws allow for the investigation and prosecution of the Vice-President for alleged criminal wrong-doing when the same is not extended to the President.

Chilima further cautioned the Anti-Corruption Bureau against being abused or misused by some quarters, arguing that the bureau must not put its prosecutorial methods into question.

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