Sunganimoyo opposes Kalumo’s removal from Immigration Department
President of the New Liberation Party (NLP) Isaiah Emmanuel Sunganimoyo, has opposed the removal of retired Brigadier General Dr. Charles Kalumo as Director General of the Immigration Department claiming that the reasons given for his removal are absurd and not enough.
The High Court in Blantyre nullified the appointment of Dr. Kalumo as not procedural, having retired from public service in 1994 and later rejoined public service to take up the challenging position of Director General of the Immigration Department.
Since Day One of his appointment by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, there have been protests protests against his appointment claiming that the Director General could have been one working at the Immigration Department or any other person as long as he or she is a serving public officer.
Speaking through a video clip circulating in various social media platforms and an open letter sent to President Chakwera, Sunganimoyo has described Dr. Kalumo as one of the best Directors in the public service claiming that he served Malawians at the Immigration Department without any corruption attachments.
Sunganimoyo has claimed that in April 2023 he visited Dr. Kalumo’s office where he proved to himself that the Immigration Department was a corruption-free zone, there were no shot-cuts for issuance of passports, and no middlemen acting as Immigration officers or having connections with the officers.
He said what he saw at the Immigration Department made him record a voice note that was shared in all WhatsApp channels recommending Kalumo’s good efforts in fighting against corruption at the Department of Immigration.
The NLP President said what he noted of great concern was the challenge that the Immigration Department has been facing with insufficient funds for printing out passports saying this challenge had been there before Dr. Kalumo was appointed as the Immigration Department Chief.
“Dr. Kalumo has not failed to discharge his duties as Immigration Department’s Chief but his office was receiving insufficient funds for printing out passports,” reads part of the contents of a letter sent to President Chakwera.
He said Dr. Kalumo is not to be blamed as an incompetent Director General of the Immigration Department advising Malawians to learn to embrace and compliment those people who are serving them with no strings of corruption or bribes saying Kalumo is one such example.
Sunganimoyo has claimed that during the reign of Dr. Bakili Muluzi, Professor Bingu wa Mutharika retired school teachers, Nurses, and Doctors were hired into public schools and hospitals to improve efficiency saying those who were against the appointment of Kalumo were corrupt officers not wishing their country well.
