Play part in kicking out corruption
Published On June 9, 2021 » 1516 Views» By Times Reporter » Opinion
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MANY citizens have often complained about the number of times they have fallen foul of the law and have had to deal with a number of law enforcement agencies.
In most cases, it is usually a brush with the infamous Zambia Police Service traffic section officers, who most of us encounter hiding behind shrubbery on roads hoping to catch speeding motorists off-guard.
What many people will tell you is that they were inconvenienced and eventually the matter was resolved and they were able to continue on their journey.
What they will not tell you in most instances is that more often than not, they are usually given the option of paying the official fine, or a smaller amount, which is a bribe to the officers.
The level of corrupt conduct among the officers is such that they prey on motorists’ unwillingness or incapacity to pay the official fine, to offer them an easier way out, a cheaper alternative.
While corruption among some men in uniform cannot be disputed, motorists are not exonerated from being accomplices to the fact.
Their unwillingness to pay fines, has given rise to the temptation by such officers to collect free money while looking the other way as crimes are committed.
It must be stated here that such corruption is rife not only in the traffic section or the police service in general, but it is rife in many government and private institutions.
It is a cancer that continues to hinder social and economic growth that the country aspires to achieve.
So while many citizens are disgusted by the conduct of corrupt officials, they are equally appalled by those citizens who play a part in ensuring the wheels of corruption continue to roll.
One of the biggest challenges has been the exposure of some of these wrongs into the public domain and getting authorities to take decisive action.
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has thus made the right call in launching a campaign dubbed ‘Share Your Story’ to help enhance citizens’ participation in fighting corruption in Zambia.
The awareness campaign, designed to focus on corruption matters, is meant to encourage people to share their experiences with corruption through a designated website to help expose everyday corruption incidents.
As TIZ executive director Maurice Nyambe said, the campaign will challenge the belief that corruption is the norm thereby encouraging more people to open up and share their experiences.
It should no longer be the trend that citizens accept corruption as a lifestyle or be afraid to speak out when a wrong is being committed.
Every single citizen should participate restoring the moral fiber of the nation by kicking corruption out.

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