Chaponda backs Bingu on tribalism

DPP leader in Parliament Dr George Chaponda on Tuesday defended former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika for appointing his tribesmen and loyalists into government key positions.

  In his response to President Joyce Banda’s State of the Nation Address made on Friday, Chaponda said the appointments in Mutharika’s regime were not unique to Malawi alone, but other civilised countries such as United States and Britain as well.

 “In the President’s speech, much has been said about tribalism. This is strange because the Bingu administration merely moved existing civil servants into particular key strategic services depending upon their educational and professional background and loyalty,” said Chaponda.

He said cited the US as an example, saying a brother to president John Kennedy was appointed Attorney General when Kennedy became president.

Chaponda said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was concerned about the speed at which such appointment and subsequent firing of individuals is being done.

He specifically referred to contracts of senior civil servants such as head of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Alex Nampota, former Governor of Reserve Bank Dr Perks Ligoya, former MBC chief executive officer Bright Malopa, former Ambassador to India Chrissy Chawanje Mughogho and 26 former presidential aides.

He said the termination of contracts of some people was contrary to the President’s stand that her administration will restore the rule of law in the “promotion and protection of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and access to justice”.

“She has gone further to appoint staff without following normal administrative procedures. All these negative developments augur badly for the future,” he said

Chaponda also faulted Banda on the appointment of commissioners for the Electoral Commission, saying despite soliciting submissions from political parties, only one commissioner was considered from the DPP while the other appointments include politicians who have made it clear to ensure the DPP downfall.