Cabinet will pass anti-corruption policy soon, reveals Kanganja

Cabinet will pass anti-corruption policy soon, reveals Kanganja
Written by Mutale Kapekele in Livingstone
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 6:47:24 AM

SECRETARY to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja has disclosed that the draft National Anti-Corruption Policy will be approved by Cabinet before the end of this year.

And Kanganja has said investigations and prosecution of corruption cases have been among the most expensive ventures for the government.

During an induction training workshop for new integrity committees in Livingstone yesterday, Kanganja said issues that were raised about the anti corruption policy have been addressed.

“The anti-corruption draft policy is pending approval by Cabinet. As we speak, the issues that were raised have been sorted out and I am confident that before the end of the year, it will be approved,” Kanganja said. “The policy is designed to remove opportunities for corruption and ultimately improve service delivery in public institutions.”

He said he was confident that the policy would be approved owing to the commitment that President Rupiah Banda had shown in fighting corruption.

And during the swearing-in ceremony of the 29 integrity committees members derived from councils and other government institutions, Kanganja urged them to have unimpeachable integrity.

“To carry out your role effectively, you need to be men and women of unimpeachable integrity because it is both an honour and a challenge to be members of the integrity committees,” he said. “You must be accountable for your conduct both in your private capacity and at work because this has a direct bearing on your effectiveness and that of your institution’s corruption prevention and integrity programmes.”

And Kanganja has said programmes that prevent corruption should be encouraged as investigations and prosecutions had been very expensive for the government.

“We need to fight corruption before it happens because investigations and prosecution are very expensive. Ask those working for the task force on corruption, ask them how much has been spent,” said Kanganja. “This is a very sophisticated crime that is difficult to investigate and prosecute. The best is to fight the vice before it happens. But this does not mean we won’t prosecute anyone, make no mistake about that.”