Chizuma hails anti-corruption strategy
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma has hailed the National Anti- Corruption Strategy (Nacs II) for improving coordination among various entities in fighting corruption.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Nacs II Governance Structures Coordination Meeting, she said through the strategy, several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are setting up institutional integrity committees (IICs) with the percentage of committees now at 60 percent from 20 percent in 2021.
Said Chizuma: “Yes, we are not yet there, but from where we started and from where we’re now there is a tremendous improvement.
“A week does not pass before I receive reports from the MDAs. This shows that the work that we have been doing is bearing fruits.”
The ACB head further said Malawians are also taking up their roles in ending corruption and not leaving the fight solely to the bureau.
She, however, singled out poor funding to the MDAs as one of the obstacles hampering the efforts.
On her part, USAid acting mission director Teresa McGhie, who was the guest of honour, called for the need for Malawi to lay a comprehensive approach to prevent, limit and respond to corruption-related crimes domestically and internationally.
“The United States is one of Malawi’s biggest partners, we contribute about $350 million a year for the benefit of the people of Malawi and we want to make sure that the assistance benefits the people. We make sure we keep out corruption and promote integrity,” she said.
The ACB, through its National Integrity Committee, the Office of the President and Cabinet and the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament are championing the implementation of the Nacs II, runs from 2019 to 2024.
McGhie said she is convinced that the joint efforts will bear testament to what can be achieved when a concerted approach is taken in tackling corruption and upholding the tenets of public integrity.
Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs chairperson Albert Mbawala said enforcement is key in ensuring compliance with national strategies, adding that the committee is summoning and sanctioning those that fail to comply.
He said: “Knowledge gap and shortage of funding are some of the challenges MDAs are facing in implementing the Nacs II with some arguing that the one percent allocation in the Other Recurrent Transactions is not enough, we have asked them to look for means of raising funds.”
On his part, National Integrity Committee chairperson Jeff Kabondo expressed hope that the meeting will help foster the coordination required for the successful implementation of Nacs II.
