Transparency, accountability must be given highest priority in governance - Sharma

Transparency, accountability must be given highest priority in governance - Sharma
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 16 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT

VISITING Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma yesterday said transparency and accountability in public administration must be given the highest priority.

Speaking on arrival at Lusaka International Airport for a four-day visit, Sharma said the Commonwealth leaders were against corruption.

“The position of our leaders on the question of corruption has been very prominent and straight forward which is that transparency and accountability in public administration that be given the highest priority,” Sharma said.

“We try and assist in various ways cooperating in the United Nations context. We hold a lot of workshops on the issue of corruption and accountability. We support national initiatives to fight corruption.”

Sharma said he would discuss with the Zambian government leaders various issues pertaining to youths, women and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) affairs.

Sharma would meet President Rupiah Banda, foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande and visit the Commonwealth Youth Centre at the University of Zambia.

And welcoming Sharma, sports minister Kenneth Chipungu said there were so many issues that Zambia, as an affiliate to Commonwealth, would learn from the organisation’s secretary general.