One of the human right activists in the country, Billy Mayaya has faulted President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for rushing in appointing the Commission of Inquiry in the Zambia maize gate before suspending Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. George Chaponda and Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) Chief Executive Officer Foster Mulumbe.

The Zambia maize deal has attracted an outcry in Malawi following reports that the Malawi government procured about 100 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize from Zambia using a private company.

According to media reports the deal was much expensive than if the deal were government-to-government.

Writing on his official facebook page after the appointment, Mayaya said: “Instead of suspending Chaponda and Mulumbe to pave way for investigations, the Govt appoints another toothless Commission of Inquiry which will exonerate them. All members of the Commission coming from one area! We weren’t born yesterday!”.

Concurring with Chaponda, Livingstonia Synod of the CCAP also questioned Mutharika’s appointment, saying instituting the Commission of Inquiry on the matter is baseless.

The Synod asked Mutharika to fire Chaponda and Mulembe and then institute a commission of inquiry on the maize scam.

Mutharika appointed retired Chief Justice Anastasia Msosa as head of the inquiry in the maize scam on Sunday.

Other commissioners appointed include Isaac Kayira the public auditor, Dr Janet Banda the solicitor general and Mike Chinoko as secretary of the Commission.

Meanwhile Justice Msosa has accepted her appointment.