Undule Mwakasungula, the former renowned human rights activist, has weighed in on the recent decision by the United States of America to ban former Malawi government top officials involved in ‘significant corruption’.
America’s Department of State, on 17 April, announced the public designations of the former Malawi government officials as ‘generally ineligible’ for entry into the United States.
Since the announcement, there have been different reactions from Malawian officials including President Chakwera. As others are backing the US government for its move, others are condemning it.
Through his statement issued on Monday 22 April, Mwakasungula has become the latest public figure to express his take on the matter.
Formerly the chairperson for the Human Rights Consultative Committee, Mwakasungula, has stated that though the sanctions are meant to be a deterrent to potential offenders, they are more punitive to all Malawians.
The sanctions being projected by the American government have the potential of dampening Malawi’s direct foreign aid and hence bear serious consequences on the country’s economy, Mwakasungula stated.
“It is also paramount for the USA government and the other international partners to always remember that Malawi, like any other nation, has the right to govern itself including investigating and persecuting its corruption cases independently”, said Mwakasungula in a statement.
However, Mwakasungula also stressed that the US government’s decision should not be viewed as negative in its entirety as it signifies its support towards Malawi’s fight against corruption.
The statement issued by Mwakasungula comes barely days after President Chakwera publicly condemned the USA government decision, calling it an interference in the country’s judicial system as well as an undermining of the country’s sovereignty.
Former Solicitor General and Secretary of Justice Reyneck Matemba, former director of public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Agency Director John Suzi-Banda, former Malawi Police Service Attorney Mwabi Kaluba, and former Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service George Kainja, are the former top government officials sanctioned by the US government.