Maravi

Corruption has to be on our election agenda

Corruption has to be on our election agenda
By The Post
Mon 20 June 2011, 09:30 CAT

Corruption has to be on our election agenda No one can deny the devastating impact of corruption and its attendant vices on our country today. When Amnesty International Zambia say that the high levels of corruption in the country should form the main campaign issue in our country, they are saying something which is very important and must not be ignored.

There is no denying that corruption is the main cause of widespread poverty in our country. Indeed, one of the main and debilitating manifestations of corruption is the abuse of power by those who have it for personal aggrandizement instead of national service. This abuse of power takes many forms. There are those in power who are nothing but thieves. To them, power must be used to benefit themselves even if that means stealing.

This is something that many of our people are aware of. We see it every day. There are many people who occupy public offices today who cannot explain their wealth. It is not uncommon to see people living opulent lives when they are in office and when they leave, those lives crumble. They fail to maintain the expensive lifestyles they adopt at the expense of our people. Such characters learn to spend all their time in the air flying to one place or the other at great expense, sometimes on official duties but even on private ones. In other words, what we are saying is that the evidence of corruption is everywhere for all to see.

It has been said that corruption is a tax on the poor. But we need to add that it is not only a tax on the poor but it is an evil tax on those who can least afford it. What this means is that instead of government providing services to those who need them most, the money required ends up in the pockets of those who run government and their friends. This kind of corruption flourishes in an environment where there is an explosive increase in public works such as we have seen in the run up to this year’s elections.

What happens is that all sorts of questionable schemes and projects are rushed through in the name of delivering development to the people. But what ends up happening is that our people are forced to pay for overpriced and unnecessary white elephants that will benefit no one.

When it comes to road schemes, the country ends up receiving roads that fail to survive one rainy season. Money that could go to treat simple diseases that are claiming the lives of many of our people ends up in the pockets of some criminal or other who is employed in the public service.

The people who preside over such a system are so preoccupied with stealing and laundering the proceeds of their crimes that they really do not have time to be concerned about the welfare of their fellow citizens. The fact that many children who are today not able to go to school are not able to because of their thefts and careless attitude towards the plight of fellow citizens does not bother them. These public servants, if they can be called public servants at all, are a cancer that is killing our nation in the most ruthless way.

Unless we are determined to fight corruption and uproot it from our systems of governance, we will remain poor for many generations to come. We say this because a nation that condones corruption in its many manifestations rarely, if ever, has the goodwill to channel its energies towards solving the many problems that it might face. The people who preside over such systems are progressively desensitized and do not feel the enormity of the problems that they cause our people.

It is not very difficult to see why Amnesty International has drawn the conclusion that corruption is one of the debilitating challenges facing our country today. Even if one wanted to avoid it, it is impossible to avoid the many scandals that are taking place in our country today.

One might say that if corruption was a virtue, or better still if corruption represented wealth, our country would be one of the richest in the world. This is a sad reflection on the state of our nation, but it is real. It would be wrong to say that corruption has only happened during the time that Rupiah Banda has been in government.

That would be dishonest. But it cannot be denied that under Rupiah, corruption seems to have acquired the status of an honoured public sport protected by those who are at the helm of government. Rupiah himself is now publicly implicated promising to protect people who are facing prosecution on suspicion of corruption. What is happening in Chiengi calls for some sober reflection.

The fact that members of Rupiah’s own party, the MMD, in Chiengi have publicly accused him of having promised to get Katele Kalumba off his corruption charges raises serious questions. Especially since Rupiah and his many vuvuzelas who are normally quick to speak have been conspicuous in their silence over this damning allegation against Rupiah. What are we to make of this? One thing is clear; Rupiah’s silence and that of his vuvuzelas is a clear demonstration that there is credibility to the allegation made.

It also means that Rupiah has previously protected other people. What is more worrying is the fact that these allegations are raising questions about the independence and integrity of our judicial processes right from arrest, prosecution and trial. And yet Rupiah and his vuvuzelas find it reasonable to remain quiet in the wake of such allegations. It would be easy to understand their behaviour if they were the sort of people who were controlled and did not respond willy-nilly to issues raised in the public domain. But we all know them.

When they feel strong enough to respond, they are very quick to respond and even do so senselessly many times. Why the silence this time? Not long ago, this newspaper carried a challenge from former works and supply minister, close Rupiah confidant and operative, Mike Mulongoti, about corruption in Rupiah’s government. Mike was reacting to information that he had received that Rupiah was planning to have him arrested for some infraction or other.

In his own defence, Mike dared Rupiah and his attack dogs to move against him. If they did, he was ready to expose them. He also said that he had passed his information to his lawyers and personal representatives. Again, Rupiah and his vuvuzelas were conspicuous in their silence. To this day, they have not uttered a single word about what Mike said.

This is a government that is known for always responding to challenges leveled against them. If they do not do this directly, they have purpose built non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or more appropriately non-governmental individuals (NGIs) to speak for them. But on this one, even these surrogate spokespersons of theirs have realised or been told that this issue of corruption is a hot potato and they should stay away from it. There are many other examples of Rupiah’s government’s interference in the judicial process.

Today, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Drug Enforcement Commission are toothless organisations which only seem to swing into action if the people who are alleged to have committed a crime are, or at least are perceived to be the enemies of the government. Those who have political connections of any kind remain untouchable.

There is a string of government projects and procurements that have left a foul taste in the mouths of many of our people, but Rupiah doesn’t seem to care. Somehow, he believes that our people will forget. Our people are resolved to fight corruption. And for reminding us of this requirement, Zebbies Mumba, the national coordinator of Amnesty International Zambia, should be commended because he is right.

Labels: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 6:26 PM