Maravi

Corruption

Corruption
Written by Editor

We ended 2008 on a relatively poor note as far as the political will to fight corruption is concerned. There were signs of the nation losing grip on the fight against corruption. Even corrupt elements started to feel as though their freedom was near. They saw the Rupiah government as being more user friendly to them than the Levy Mwanawasa one.

And this may explain why Frederick Chiluba and his corrupt friends went out to support and campaign for the election of Rupiah Banda as President.

And Rupiah’s campaign team welcomed and defended Chiluba and his friends. Even people like local government minister Benny Tetamashimba who before used to denounce Chiluba as a corrupt man, publicly started to defend his innocence – the language changed. And that position has not changed.

Today, Tetamashimba says it is immoral to criticise Chiluba when no court has convicted him. Tetamashimba still calls Chiluba innocent even when there is a judgment that has found him liable. The London High Court judgment is a clear testimony of how Chiluba abused his authority and plundered the country’s resources. It is clear that Rupiah’s government is geared to defend Chiluba even in the face of overwhelming evidence against him.

Even when there are substantial recoveries that the Zambian government has made as a result of the London High Court judgment, Rupiah’s government is still determined to ignore such a judgment. They are ready to call one of the defendants in that matter innocent.

The corruption that characterised the adoption and election of Rupiah was also a source of great worry to many people. Nobody is sure of where Rupiah’s regime clearly stands when it comes to fighting corruption.

Of course a few routine statements have been made, committing his government to fighting corruption. But we know that corruption is not necessarily fought by declarations but by deeds. We say this because even Chiluba used to talk about fighting corruption and some people had to leave his government for corruption.

Even from ordinary life we have seen thieves, helping to chase other thieves, apprehend and beat them while they still remain thieves themselves.

Given Rupiah Banda’s background and the corrupt circumstances under which he ascended to power, it will not be wrong for anyone to doubt his personal commitment and that of his government to fighting corruption. And there are serious worrying signs of Rupiah’s government tilting towards the corrupt side.

Rupiah will need to do more to assure the Zambian people that he will give them a clean government, one that is committed to fighting corruption and ensuring that public resources are utilised in the most efficient and prudent manner.

There are also serious worries about government contracts being awarded to Rupiah’s family members and friends. This talk is everywhere and names are being banded around. And all sorts of unscrupulous businessmen are trying to find their way to him and to those close to him, as if they know there is an opening for them.

We are lucky that on the issue of fighting corruption, a relatively solid base has been built over the last seven years or so. A lot of political will was marshaled and with it some of the administrative and legal impediments to fighting corruption were reduced.

It is this political will that led to the formation of the Task Force on Corruption and the decision to remove Chiluba’s immunity so that he could face prosecution for corruption. Without that political will at the highest level of government, Chiluba and his friends would today be walking the streets as clean men when they are nothing but filthy corrupt elements.

The pressure to act otherwise was very high and without strong political will on the part of Levy, Chiluba would not have been stripped of his immunity and the Task Force on Corruption would not have been created to investigate and prosecute plunderers.

This is the political goodwill and commitment to fighting corruption that seems to be lacking in Rupiah and his government. Instead of moving away from corruption and corrupt elements, they seem to be moving towards vice and plunderers. And without political will, no laws or institutions will enable us to fight corruption effectively. The fight against corruption arises from our hatred for it and if that dies in our hearts, nothing will stop corruption from being the order of the day in our country.

Yes, good laws, effective laws are very important in the fight against corruption, but they are just one factor. Institutions too, are very important in the fight against corruption, but they are also just another factor. What is most critical, what is most supreme in the fight against corruption is our will, our political will to fight it. And there is no substitute for this.

It is pleasing that we are beginning the year 2009 with renewed commitment from very important sections of our nation, from very important segments of our civil society to the fight against corruption. We have statements from the Church encouraging zero tolerance to corruption.

With the economic difficulties that seem to be setting in and many uncertainties in the economy and even among those holding public office, the potential for corruption is high. If we are not vigilant, we may record some setbacks in the fight against corruption.

We therefore call upon all Zambians of goodwill to join this fight and ensure that the very limited resources of our country are utilised to the benefit of our country, instead of ending up in the pockets of crooked politicians, civil servants and businessmen.

Labels: CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:17 PM