President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has called upon all state agencies tasked with fighting corruption to collaborate and coordinate as provided by law if the cause is to bear fruits.
The President was speaking on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace when he chaired a meeting of heads of institutions that are vital in the fight against corruption.
The meeting brought together Minister of Justice Hon. Titus Mvalo, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Ms. Colleen Zamba, Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, Director of Public Prosecutions Masauko Chamkakala and director general of the Anti Corruption Bureau Martha Chizuma.
The meeting comes at a time when there has been a growing outcry that institutions that fight corruption are working in isolation hence dragging back investigations and prosecution of cases.
Several quarters have noted that the animosity that has been there between Chizuma and former Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni affected the progress of investigations and cases in court.
It is at the back of the Chizuma, Kayuni disagreements that Malawians are hoping that the ACB director will now work amicably with the new DPP.
The President himself pointed out the need for all critical institutions to collaborate in their work.
“The cordial engagement among these critical institutions further cements our resolve to deal with corruption with a seamless approach that bears fruits,” he wrote on his official Facebook account few hours after the meeting.
President Chakwera also highlighted the need for all the stakeholders in the fight against corruption to rely on the country’s legal instruments.
“I have prompted the institutional heads to collaboratively undertake their noble duty guided only by the sovereign administrative and legal statutes above anything else.”
Lately, there have been concerns on interference into ACB duties by Western elements especially in the investigations and prosecution of the Zuneth Sattar cases.