By Attwell Chilangambwa
Soon, Martha Chizuma’s contract as the boss at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will be expiring and debate will ensue if government must let her go or renew.
For someone who always rides on public pity to survive, it is certain that there will be calls all over, especially on social media, for Chizuma to continue heading ACB.
But, in all fairness, is Chizuma really fit to continue leading ACB? In the years she has been there, is there anything ACB can show to the public to give confidence that, indeed, the funding that is going to ACB is living to people’s expectations.
To begin with, we need to applaud the Chakwera administration for increasing funding to ACB and also making the institution independent from executive controls.
Amidst all the woes that have been there surrounding Chizuma, President Chakwera has consistently stood for Chizuma, defending her everytime with a goal to ensure that ACB operates independently and efficiently.
This background tells you that Chizuma’s ACB is not just financially sound to executive it’s work but it is also independent from the executive in its operation.
To mean, Chizuma’s ACB has everything it needs to be efficient in its operations of ending corruption in the country.
But against this, has Chizuma really lived to people’s expectation in how she has performed so far?
I don’t think so.
Since she came to ACB, the institution hasn’t concluded even a single case before the courts. There could be so many reasons for that, but, trust me, its a giant minus to her resume.
Further, Chizuma has reduced the demeanour of her office through her continued behaviour of seeking public pity as she shares discreet information with the public.
We saw in that leaked recording. We saw how some people on social media always shared privileged information from ACB. These, insiders tell you, are Chizuma’s strategies to be seen to be working by increasing her visibility and endorsement on social media. But is there anything on the ground? Zero.
Further, Chizuma will go down in history as an ACB boss who came to just settle scores with certain business people in the country. For instance, Chizuma has put all her energy in pursuing businessperson Zuneth Sattar to the point of breaking oath of her office. That doesn’t sound professional.
In all honesty, there is very little that Chizuma can show on the ground as her achievements. She may have the zeal to fight corruption, but I think she lacks the sophistry that one needs at a complicated institution such as ACB to crux the times and get things done.
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