Centre for Democracy Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI) has condemned insults and backlash towards the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of parliament members following their decision not to confirm Ombudsman Martha Chizuma as the new Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

There have been mixed reactions from the members of the general public since yesterday after PAC rejected Ombudsman Chizuma as the head of the graft busting body, dubbed it as a political move.

In a statement seen by Face of Malawi reporter CDEDI’s Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said the attacks and demonizing of PAC and its members “defeats the very same purpose for which it was established and the separation of power notion.”

“That said, CDEDI’s position is that all the insults and backlash on PAC are uncalled for, unwarranted, unjustifiable, and very bad for democracy and should not be condoned at any cost,” Namiwa added.

Namiwa further worried that it is becoming a trend to demonize statutory committees and constitutional offices when some sectors of the society are not happy with the decision they have made in relation to their mandate and laws governing them and the republican constitution.

“This is a breeding ground for dictatorship,” he said.

He further alleges that looking at the composition of PAC, it is very clear that Tonse Alliance Government enjoys majority membership.

According to Namiwa, both Members of Parliament for government and opposition are not comfortable with Chizuma adding that this should scare Malawians because “we have a crop of MPs in parliament who are paying lip service on the war against corruption, and that includes the current Tonse Alliance administration.”

Lastly, Namiwa urged the citizenry to respect the rule of law by acknowledging the separation of powers as he said that Chizuma is just a victim of  “deep trenched corruption in the country in both the previous and the Tonse Alliance Administration.”