Maravi

Mwale urges Rupiah not to assent to revised ACC bill

Mwale urges Rupiah not to assent to revised ACC bill
By Misheck Wangwe
Sun 14 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT

NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale has said no right-thinking government can even imagine removing the abuse of office clause from the ACC Act. And Mwale has urged President Rupiah Banda to demonstrate moral leadership by declining to assent to the revised ACC bill.

In an interview, Mwale said it was unbelievable that the ruling party was pushing for the removal of critical clauses that had over the years deterred deceptive public officers from stealing funds.

She said it was clear in the eyes of many Zambians that there was inadequate political will from the government in the fight against corruption.
Mwale said the reasons advanced by the government and people advocating for the removal of section 37 of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Act were illogical.

She said it was distressing that the government was insincere to the majority poor who were the victims of the rampant corruption by public servants.

“Any responsible government listens to what the people are saying. We have seen many public servants being prosecuted for abuse of office because they stole poor people’s money,” Mwale said.

“It shows that this clause is critical in the fight against corruption. There is no justification whatsoever as to why this clause should be erased from the ACC Act.”

She said it would be impossible for the country to attain meaningful development without intensifying the fight against rampant corruption.

Mwale said contrary to the government’s views, the country needed more stringent laws that would deter people holding public office from abusing their authority and stealing poor people’s money.

Mwale said the removal of the abuse of office offence would undermine the country’s integrity and make development impossible in the absence of laws that enhance accountability on national resources.

She said President Banda should prove to the nation that he listens to people by rejecting the revised ACC Act.

Mwale said as the county goes to the polls next year, many Zambians wished to have a government that puts their interests first.

“We want the President to reject this bill and to listen to what the people are saying. There is no reason why we should be killing genuine laws that are critical in the advancement of good governance in the country,” said Mwale.

Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, ENGWASE MWALE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:35 PM