Taming graft not easy—Govt
Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet Janet Banda says government is facing an uphill task to tame corruption because the vice has become a culture in most people’s lives in the country.
She said this in an interview yesterday on the sidelines of a big walk organised by institutional integrity committees (IICs) from government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in Blantyre to raise awareness on the evils of the vice.
Banda, who was the guest of honour at the event, observed that corruption is deep-rooted in most MDAs, civil society organistions and the private sector such that sometimes people indulge in corruption unknowingly.
S h e s a i d : “ T h e major challenge is that corruption has become part of life for most Malawians, whether working in government, the civil society and even the private sector. We just take it and accept it.
“The biggest challenge is that people have accepted corruption as the way of life.”
Banda warned that the Office of the President and Cabinet will take action against MDAs that are yet to establish IICs, saying the corruption fight in the country needs joint efforts by both public and private sector institutions if Malawi is to win against the vice.
In her address, Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma observed that Malawians are tired of corruption and vowed to fight any person found indulging in corrupt practices regardless of their political affiliation or status in society.
S h e e x p r e s s e d optimism that the big walk will contribute to the fight against corruption as the parade sensitised thousands of people to the evils of corruption.
C h i z u m a s a i d : “Corruption has killed us, corruption has stolen from us. We are not afraid of you [people indulging in corruption]. We will fight you.
“We will strive to reclaim our country and make it corruption-free. We will have good hospitals, schools and [other] infrastructure if we stop corruption.”
In a separate interview, IIC joint organising committee chairperson Blessings Mhango noted that there is gradual progress in the fight against corruption in the country because most people are not aware of the IICs.
He said the big walk sought to raise awareness on the committees’ tasks.
The big walk, held under the theme ‘Resetting the moral t o n e ’ , a t t r a c t e d officials from the ACB, the Judiciary, Malawi Revenue Au t h o r i t y, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, Pol i c e, Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, M a l a w i E l e c t o r a l Commission, Electricity Generation Company, E l e c t r i c i t y S u p p l y Corporation of Malawi, M a l a w i H o u s i n g C o r p o r a t i o n a n d Blantyre Water Board, among others.
Ironically, most of the MDAs that took part in the march are embroiled in corruption scandals most of them bordering on shady procurement deals.
The march started from Ginnery Corner mosque to Limbe via Masauko Chipembere Highway and back on the same route to Kamuzu Stadium upper ground where speeches were made.
C l a d i n r e d a n d white golf shirts, senior executives from various MDAs were seen carrying placards with anti – corruption messages. Some of the placards were written ‘corruption fuels unfair rules and regulations’ and ‘say no to corruption’, among others.
Three judges of the High Court of Malawi, namely Zione Ntaba, Vikochi Chima and Mandala Mambulasa were among the marchers.
In July this year, President Lazarus Chakwera rei terated the need for a new anti-corruption approach that demanded relevant institutions and duty-bearers to work together to sustain the fight against the vice.
Speaking during a National Anti -Corruption Conference in Blantyre where he also launched the anti-corruption campaign, the President said such an approach should encompass dealing with corruption holistically rather than cherr y-picking one aspect.
