ACB takes corruption messages to communities

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has asked traditional leaders in Machinga District to promote integrity among their subjects as one way of fighting against corruption in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday during anti-corruption awareness in Traditional Authority Sitola, ACB director of public education Charity Mphande said they want to sensitise communities to the evils of corruption and restore people’s trust in the bureau.

She said the anti-corruption clinics follow their 2019 survey which shows that people refrain from reporting corruption because they lost trust in the bureau due to many uncompleted corruption cases.

Said Mphande: “We are trying to bring the bureau’s services to communities because we want them to implement anti-corruption strategies to improve case reporting.

“Through mobile clinics, we will get complaints which we will investigate later.”

Chinguni Ward councilllor Steve Weja commended the bureau for taking anti-corruption clinics to the district, saying the exercise will empower communities to monitor projects and report any suspicious activity.

“As you can see, my people have demonstrated the desire to change their mindset towards corruption. They have expressed interest to bring corruption issues to light,” he said.

Weja asked for collaboration among stakeholders and government departments to ensure transparency and accountability in project implementation.

Group village head Sitola urged his fellow chiefs to refrain from corruption and bribes, saying they delay development.

“I also appeal to my fellow chiefs to follow development activities in their areas to ensure corruption is not taking place,” she said.

Rajab Meja, a community member, thanked ACB for engaging people in rural areas on corruption issues, saying they now know how and where to report the vice.

“Corruption is evil because it retards development. As a good citizen, I will report the vice,” he said.