Martha Chizuma is a Malawian Lawyer. She is the former director of Malawi's anti-corruption bureau. She was appointed on 29 April 2021 after serving as Malawi's second woman ombudsman since 2015.[1] Her contract was not renewed after it ended in 31 March 2024.[2] Prior to that,she served as the Senior Resident Magistrate in the courts of Malawi.
When she was appointed to be Senior Resident Magistrate she was the youngest and only woman in that role in Malawi's northern region.[3] She continued on that path,in 2015 she was the youngest ombudsman in Africa at the age of 36.[3]
Controversy
In January 2022,a phone call recording between Chizuma and an unidentified man was leaked.[4] In the phone call,she alleged that judges and magistrates were part of a corruption syndicate. She was accused of being unprofessional for the alleged discussion.[5]
On 6 December 2022,Chizuma was arrested in connection to a leaked audio clip in which she spoke with another person about the fight against corruption in the country.[6] She was released on bail the same day of her arrest.[7]
Following the pressure from the executive,Chizuma´s contract as Malawi's Anti-Corruption Bureau Director was not renewed. The Deputy Director General Hillary Chilomba was the Acting Director General from 5 June 2024.[8] The interview process had to be restarted after it was discovered by Grace Malera and her Office of the Ombudsman that two people on the ACB shortlist (including Chiloma) failed to meet the criteria required for the position.[9]
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