Citizens for justice and Equity (CJE) has called on the public affairs committee (PAC) leadership to seek fresh leadership mandate. This follows the expiry of the three-year term for the current leadership which expired in December 2022.
Speaking in an interview with Radio Islam, CJE executive director Agape Khombe has questioned why the current Quasi-religious body leadership is not following their constitution which provides that leadership should be in the office for three years.
“Yes, we have released a statement demanding PAC leadership to lead by example at least to have an annual general meeting, an elective conference before they convene any meeting discussing anything about the public”, he said.
Khombe PAC leadership which have been in office since 2022, was supposed to vacate the office after three years as indicated in the quasi-religious body’s constitution, but have been clinging to power due to their own selfish gains saying it is now time for the organisation to start living by example.
“Those calling for democratic leadership they should be democratic among themselves. We do not believe a deformed a public affairs committee leadership has got a mandate to discuss anything to do with governance, democracy and even development. We don’t want dictatorship in any kind of institution be it public or private institution in this country so Public Affairs committee being a public as a human rights watchdog should live by example,” he explained.
As some critics says CJE is interfering with the affairs of PAC, Khombe on other hand said CJE is part of the public which does not want people who are not legitime to lead a legitime public institution like the current leadership of PAC.
Meanwhile PAC Executive director Robert Phiri has defended the continued stay in office by invoking article 15.4 of the PAC constitution which provides that in the event a new executive is not in place, the existing committee shall continue to transact business for the sake of continuity.
CJE however says there can never be an emergency for close to five years “There cannot be an emergency leadership for so long and what we are doing, will help clear them because other may think that there is something fishy,” Khombe added. He therefore aske PAC to conduct elections in as far as transparency and accountability is concerned.
Formed in 1992 during the Malawi’s political transition from one party to multi-party system of government, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) remains a key civil society organization in the field of human right, mediation, advocacy, HIV/AIDS, Gender based Violence, religious co-existence, electoral processes and peace and security.
It’s success in ushering in multiparty democracy emanated from its institutional architecture that entailed the establishment of the National Consultative Council (NCC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) within the organisation.
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