A group calling itself Mbadwa Zokhudzika has given President Lazarus Chakwera seven days ultimatum to fire the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB, Martha Chizuma for violation of oath of office.

The call for Chizuma’s dismissal is in relation to the leaked audio in which Chizuma was allegedly discussing with an outsider about the state of their investigation against businessperson Zunneth Sattar.

The group, with a handful of demonstrators, marched in Lilongwe yesterday and presented a petition to the office of the District Commissioner before heading to the Parliament building where the demonstration organiser, Redson Munlo, addressed the audience. 

Munlo said if the president does not fire Chizuma within the prescribed period they will be compelled to conduct vigils at Parliament to force the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) to dismiss Chizuma.

Reads the petition. “Your Excellency, the law which you swore to uphold and protect is very clear on the consequences of what   Martha Chizuma did. It is unfortunate and unconstitutional for you to forgive her. Your actions are illegal”.

Constitutional law expert Edge Kanyongolo, questioned the reasoning of the group and the basis for which they are calling on the President to dismiss Chizuma. According to Kanyongolo, the president acted within his powers because the law gives him discretion to remove the ACB director from office or not. 

Kanyongolo said Chizuma is in office set up by law and hence her removal must follow the law. The law professor said it was difficult to determine if the group’s call has merit or not in the absence of a well cited law on what is unconstitutional about the President’s failure to dismiss her following the leaked audio.

The Corrupt Practices Act (CPA), under section six (6) states that a person holding the office of Director General of ACB may be removed from office by the President, with the confirmation of the Public Appointments Committee, for inability to perform the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of body or mind or from any other cause) or for misbehavior.

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