Donors demand resolute anti-corruption drive
Failure by the Malawi Government to commemorate the World Anti-Corruption Day yesterday did not stop the donor community to demand that government should show seriousness if corruption is to be eliminated in the country.
A statement signed by acting British High Commissioner Simon Mustard on behalf of the donor community challenged government to go a step further of mere talk by putting up measures and systems that will help drive out corrupt practices which are said to be draining a big percentage of public resources.
He said despite the Malawi “government’s current efforts, all global corruption indicators for Malawi are showing a negative trend as reports of corruption are rising and progress remains slow in those cases under investigation.”
Mustard said: “This is putting off private sector investors and damaging the country’s prospects for sustained economic growth. Corruption has a negative impact on Malawian citizen’s access to basic services and it is contributing to the fiscal deficit that affects Malawi’s macroeconomic stability.”
According to Mustard, government must take bold steps that will help promote the fight against corruption in the country.
“A number of development partners are providing support to Malawi’s accountability institutions to help them investigate and bring to justice those guilty of defrauding the Malawian people. But there is much more that the government needs to do,” said Mustard in the statement.
The call by the donor community comes barely weeks after analysts blamed the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for walking back on its campaign promises to trim presidential powers to hire and fire the Anti-Corruption Bureau top brass.
