In a recent presser commemorating its Silver Jubilee, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) led by Director General Martha Chizuma has exposed its ineffectiveness. It is commonplace that, aside from the convictions secured prior to Martha Chizuma’s appointment, there has been a distinct lack of convictions during her tenure.
To mask this failure, she resorted to merging statistics from various DGs’ tenures. Martha Chizuma’s performance leaves much to be desired, and time is whispering in her that her pavement for stepping aside has been approached.
It is important to note that the ACB has never enjoyed the level of political support and autonomy as it does under the Chakwera administration. Despite this, Chizuma has alleged political interference. She shows a lack of gratitude despite the Chakwera administration providing the highest-ever funding for the ACB, with an increase from K6.31 billion to K7.17 billion in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Not only has the ACB’s funding increased, but its workforce has also significantly grown during Chakwera’s tenure, a fact previously acknowledged by Chizuma herself.
To illustrate the Chakwera administration’s commitment, the Corrupt Practices Act was recently amended, removing the requirement for CONSENT TO PROSECUTE, ensuring ACB’s undeniable and undoubted independence.
However, despite this undoubted independence and many other positive developments enriching what is axiomatically a conducive environment, Chizuma has nothing substantial to show for it and continues to make endless complaints and excuses.
Unfortunately, Chizuma’s three-year term as ACB Director is coming to a close, and she will be remembered as the least competent in ACB’s history. Her tenure failed to pursue cases involving opposition politicians, despite numerous documented instances of corruption.
In the end, Chizuma will be remembered as the only ACB Director who embarrassed the reigning administration by pursuing cases against its officials with a glaring lack of a solid foundation.
A binding safe conclusion would be that Chizuma attempted to use the public office to build her own political capital given the rumours that she has been in corroboration with some of her notable social media defenders regarding her possible run at the presidential race. Given the poor strategy used, it remains guaranteed that this ambition is an obvious flop even in its bud.
A further safe conclusion is that Chizuma is a Post Turtle. When you see a Turtle (Fulu) balanced on a fence post, that’s a Post Turtle. You know she didn’t have the ability to get there herself (remember she came second on interviews and Parliament rejected her based on her interview performance). The Parliament was bullied by a mob who wrongly thought she is competent.
Thus she had no competence crediting her to get there on the Post. And it appears she has no natural ability to accomplish anything from there. And you can’t help but wonder how idiotic the mob that mobbed the authorities for her way up there was. You can only pity her, for the injuries she’ll receive when she falls from that Post.
