By Chisomo Phiri
The country’s renowned legal expert Professor Edge Kanyongolo has condemned those calling for the impeachment of President Lazarus Chakwera to provide evidence supporting their calls.
This follows calls from various sections of the society including the opposition party Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that president Chakwera should be impeached for failing to address issues affecting the citizenry.
According to Kanyongolo, a retired Law Lecturer at the University of Malawi, the constitution provides for the impeachment of a president if there is a serious violation of the constitution or serious breach of written laws.
Kanyongolo has therefore, said that those making such calls should bring forth enough proof for the impeachment of the president.
“This is a serious issue and it must be done by following the constitution well. I feel like those making the calls are not following the constitution well. Impeaching a president is not just a small issue,” says Kanyongolo.
Simply put, impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct.
It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements.
In Europe and Latin America, impeachment tends to be confined to ministerial officials as the unique nature of their positions may place ministers beyond the reach of the law to prosecute, or their misconduct is not codified into law as an offense except through the unique expectations of their high office.
