Even before he ascended to the presidency through the June 2020 Fresh Presidential Election, President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera knew that he would be inheriting a public service where corruption has been institutionalized.
Chakwera knew quite well the daunting task that lay ahead of him. Nevertheless, he declared his resolve to eliminate the vice so that Malawians should start enjoying quality services from their government.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services is one of the government entities where corruption and bribery had been institutionalized and entrenched to the core. At this entity, one cannot simply apply and get a passport without 'palm-oiling' the officers.
Otherwise, the applicant will be kept on the waiting list for decades. This is a culture that forced President Chakwera to act. The President was and still is aware how clever corrupt people are at hiding what they are doing and at convincing others that they are not corrupt.
Hence, the Head of State thought the best weapon to 'kill' the vice was to appoint a man with integrity to head this important and strategic department - Brigadier General Charles Kalumo.
But Kalumo's hard stance against corruption seems to have angered many at the department.
Recently, a grouping of senior officers at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services picketed at the Ministry of Homeland Security at the Capital Hill in Lilongwe, demanding the resignation or firing of Kalumo, accusing him of being a dictator.
But deep down their hearts, these disgruntled officers, who include the recently fired ones, know that it is their corrupt culture that motivates them to call for the removal of Kalumo. They know fully well that if Chakwera removes replaces Kalumo with a weak-minded and soft-hearted Director General, they will continue with their corrupt practices.
It is not surprising therefore that one of President Chakwera's critic, Charles Govati, writing on a social media platform, demanded to know whose interest Kalumo's firing shall serve.
Govati enlightened his fellow forumers that those agitating for the DG's removal are simply bitter because Kalumo is working hard to tame the corruption culture at the department.
"Who is collecting mk300,000.00 from passport applicants? Kalumo or these senior civil servants? Does Kalumo define benefits in the Civil Service or its the MPSR? These civil servants must be fired not Kalumo," he declared.
"We blame Kalumo as if he resides in the printers! Who is receiving MK300, 000 for passport to come out? Is it Kalumo? Or the corrupt immigration officers? You think firing Kalumo will improve anything if those immigration officers left untouched? The army must take over the immigration system and clean it our and restore the citizenry services," he suggested.
In his reaction to calls for the dismissal of Kalumo, Leonard Kavwenje expressed disappointment that a crop of politically-manipulated junior officers at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services Headquarters in Blantyre are plotting evil to compel President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to fire Kalumo.
Kavwenje said it is disgrace of highest public degree to fake a 'blue-lie' that Brigadier General Charles Kalumo is incompetent and abuses his office.
"In Malawi, we're just doomed that most times, we employ immigration officers who cannot even define 'immigration'. I understand some opposition parties are abusing our junior officers to destroy the beauty of Kalumo's leadership and the face of Malawi government.
"Only wise Malawians understand that Kalumo is not an Information Technology expert but a very intelligent administrator. It is stupidity of tallest order to label him as a failure based on the recent data misbehaviour. Chakwera made an appropriate appointment. Having spanned across a wide range of civil service for long time, the retired hero possesses vast oceans of terabytes of competence. Please, leave Kalumo alone with his razor-sharp leadership," he said.
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He warned those masterminding the downfall to immediately stop tarnishing 'images of Brigadier General Kalumo, Minister of Homeland Security Dr. Ken Zikhale Reeves Ng'oma and President Dr. Chakwera'.
Kavwenje further warned that any information mess at the immigration paints a bad global picture of Malawi.
"Above all, it is one way of saying Chakwera and his government have failed to run immigration affairs. This is counterproductive. I am just unfortunate that I do not have a phone contact of the servant Director General. Once I find transport fare today, surely I will travel to Blantyre tomorrow Tuesday June 4th, 2024 to talk and encourage Brigadier that God is in control. Never look behind. Always look ahead. I stand with Brigadier General Charles Kalumo, Retired," he said.
