Africa-Press – Malawi. Let’s be clear — this is not a personal attack. I have deep respect for Mr. Mbeta as a man and as a professional. His brilliance as a lawyer is not in dispute. But with all due respect, if I had the immense powers that President Peter Mutharika wields today, I would never, not even for a fleeting moment, consider appointing Mr. Mbeta to any of the following critical offices: Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, or Minister of Justice.
Why? Because these positions are not simply about legal prowess or political loyalty — they are about character, integrity, and conviction. And on those fronts, I find Mr. Mbeta wanting.
The Weight of the Offices
The Attorney General (AG), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and Director of the ACB are not ceremonial titles. They are the cornerstones of justice, the gatekeepers of accountability, and the defenders of the public interest. When individuals occupying these posts falter in ethics or bend to political pressure, the entire governance system collapses under the weight of compromise.
We’ve seen this before. Over the past five years, Malawi’s institutions of justice were systematically weakened, their oversight functions neutered at the very moment they were most needed. Offices that should have stood as bulwarks against corruption and abuse became playgrounds for political gamesmanship. The result? A moral and institutional collapse that emboldened theft, silenced whistleblowers, and betrayed public trust.
The tragic case of Chizuma, who found herself isolated and hounded by the very system she sought to defend, is proof enough. While Chakaka and Kayuni should have been allies in the fight against impunity, they instead turned their fire inward — protecting power, not principle.
Sadly, Mutharika’s appointment of Mbeta signals a return to that same old playbook. A repeat of the same institutional betrayal — cloaked this time in legal brilliance but lacking moral clarity.
The Character Question
Make no mistake: this debate is not about qualifications. It is about moral fibre. It is about the willingness to do what is right, even when it is inconvenient. It is about the kind of conscience that cannot be bought, intimidated, or silenced.
Our nation doesn’t need technocrats who know the law; it needs guardians who believe in justice. Malawi has suffered enough from clever men with hollow hearts.
I am not impressed, because the moment demands better. When the fight against corruption, theft, and abuse of office is hanging by a thread, the measure of leadership lies not in comfort or convenience — but in courage.
The Stakes for Malawi
These are not ordinary appointments. The choices Mutharika makes here will determine the fate of his presidency and, by extension, the direction of the country. The AG, DPP, and ACB Director are not just officeholders — they are the moral compass of the State. When they are compromised, the nation drifts.
I could care less who becomes State House Press Secretary or Religious Affairs Advisor — those are political ornaments. But when it comes to the men and women who must guard the justice system, I care deeply. Because this is where Malawi either rises or falls.
A Final Word
Some may dismiss this as cynicism. But it is not. It is the painful realism of a citizen who has seen hope squandered too many times by the powerful choosing loyalty over integrity.
I said it before, and I will say it again: I will judge President Mutharika’s seriousness to fight corruption not by his speeches, but by his choices. And today, looking at the appointment of Mr. Mbeta — I am not impressed.
Malawi deserves better. And history will remember who stood for justice — and who compromised it for convenience.
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