By Chisomo Phiri
In his continued efforts to make Malawi a corrupt-free nation President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has cautioned against abuse of state power among government top officials in the country.
Speaking on Tuesday at the end of a two-day National Conference on Separation of Powers held in Lilongwe, Chakwera stressed that the use of power has consequences and called upon officials holding such power whether elected or appointed to use it for the service of the people.
The President advised all those entrusted with power to use it for the benefit of the country’s citizens and not for selfish ambitions.
The Malawi leader also reiterated his earlier remarks that as president, his powers are limited and that even though he has powers to appoint boards and other public officers he doesn’t have control and only direct the traffic but don’t drive the institutions.
“It is a mistake and unconstitutional to only demand accountability and coordination from elected officials and leave those who hold positions of state power by public appointment to their own devices,” said Chakwera.
He explained that whether one holds a position of state power by election or appointment, there is no position that the Constitution does not regard to be a trust from the Malawian people, adding that there is no position for which the Constitution does not demand sustained accountability to the Malawian people.
Chakwera stressed that while each branch of the government operates independently, their autonomy should not grant impunity to those in leadership positions.
Among others, the National Conference on Separation of Powers was held with an aim of promoting a better understanding of the principles of separation of powers and ensuring that all fiduciary roles within the government adhered to high standards of accountability.
By involving the heads of the Judiciary, Legislature and Executive branches, the conference acts as one of the strongest pillars of establishing effective checks and balances for the benefit of the people of Malawi.
