Malawi: Court Reinstates Sacked Anti-Corruption Chief

A high court in Malawi has lifted the government’s suspension of the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Martha Chizuma, paving the way for her to return to work. Ms Chizuma’s suspension was last week announced by the secretary to the president and the cabinet, Colleen Zamba.

The suspension was linked to a lawsuit against her following a leaked audio in which she allegedly made remarks suggesting that a number of senior government officials and some judicial officers were hindering the fight against corruption. One official who felt hurt by the suggestion sued Ms Chizuma and she was interdicted on the basis of the lawsuit.

Her suspension was widely condemned by civil society organisations, the opposition and the country’s umbrella body for lawyers, the Lawyers Association of Malawi. The lawyers’ association issued a statement saying the only person who could legally hire or fire the head of the anti-corruption body was the president.

President Lazarus Chakwera is on record as saying he will not sack Ms Chizuma describing the recording and the circulation of the audio as “corruption fighting back”.The Malawi Law Society applied for a judicial review which the court granted late on Monday.