By JULIUS PHIRI-
ZERO tolerance towards corruption has become Zambia’s household name.
The corruption fight of late has been in the limelight hitting headlines in most of the media houses in the country.
While corruption scandals have made the headlines in the country recently, the underlying issues have been deeply entrenched in the bureaucratic and political system for decades.
A week cannot pass without reading something about someone involved in corruption either in the print or electronic media even on social media networks.
Corruption has been and still is a significant impediment to good governance systems in Zambia. Since attaining independence in 1964, successive governments have instituted legal, institutional, economic and social reforms which have been largely aimed at enhancing good governance for improving public service delivery and contribution to economic and social development.
Other politicians have also led successful campaigns to bolster people’s standard of living and reduce corruption.
Corruption is the misuse of the public office and public resources for personal gain.
The graft is also giving, promising or receiving something of value in return for a favour.
Two examples of corruption are a teacher accepting money from certain students for helping them cheat in exams or politicians using their power to take public money which should have been spent on schools and hospitals for everyone’s benefit.
Corruption was currently common in schools, bus stations, Police road blocks, borders, courts and other public offices.
Lusa Luhana of St Monica’s Girls Secondary School once wrote: “Society today looks at corruption as an evil and immoral practice done in order to obtain a favour. Corruption may also be defined as soliciting, giving, accepting, obtaining or promising of any form of gratification by way of a bribe or any other personal temptation or inducement.”
In short, corruption perpetuates poverty, unfairness and undermines development.
Corruption is a huge impediment to the development of the economy and the betterment of the people’s lives.
There are many different causes of corruption including dishonesty, personal greed and lack of respect for other people’s rights and human needs.
Honesty and integrity are like the rains and without them there was no future.
If public resources are misused, wasted or stolen by dishonest officials there could not be enough books in schools or medicines in hospitals.
Corruption normally flourishes in many poor countries where people compete for very scarce services such as primary and high school places.
However, corruption has a corrosive impact on international business.
Fighting corruption lays out the problems and offers practical solutions on how to attack commercial dishonesty at its source.
Zambia has made tremendous efforts in domesticating provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which includes the development and implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Policy to coordinate and direct the fight against corruption.
The UNCAC was adopted following its signing by 140 countries.
The enactment of the Public Interest Disclosure (whistleblower Protection) Act, the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act, the Plea Negotiation and Agreement Act, Financial Intelligent Act and the Anti-Corruption Act NO:3 of 2012.
The Patriotic Front (PF) has followed the foot-prints of late President Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa who declared a war against any form of corruption.
Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone said corruption was a cancer which derailed development and, as such, the vice should be fought with vigour.
Mr Sichone said Government has continued to develop and implement anti-corruption policies and activities aimed at prevention of corruption and encourage accountability, integrity, transparency and proper management of public affairs.
“Political support is crucial to the fight against corruption. Government shall, therefore, continue to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission and other Governance institutions to enable them function effectively. As you may be aware, Government has already put in place some measures aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption,” he said.
Various laws such as the Protection of Whistleblowers Act No: 4 of (No: 4 of) 2010-meant to protect those who report corruption, and the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No: 19 of 2010 which was meant to make corruption a non-profitable venture were already in place.
Early last year, Government repealed the Anti-Corruption Act No: 38 of 2010 and replaced it with the Anti-Corruption Act No: 3 of 2012 which has seen the abuse of authority of office clause reintroduced and also increased the maximum punishment for corruption from 10 to 14 years.
These laws are meant to give an impetus to the fight against corruption in the country.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Rosewin Wandi said the commission has continued to promote activities that were aimed at educating the youth on issues of corruption and soliciting their support in the fight against corruption.
In the years 2007 and 2008, the commission gave the youth of North-Western and Eastern provinces some platform to talk about corruption.
Ms Wandi said corruption was affecting good governance in many ways, saying the rules of governance include accountability, transparency and integrity.
ACC regional manager Raymond Banda said the devastating effects of the scourge were there for all to see which included enriching a few people at the expense of the majority, draining the resources of the economy through misuse, poor service delivery among many others.
Mr Banda, who is in charge of Eastern Province, said corruption must be stopped at all possible cost.
He said ‘zero corruption, 100 per cent development’ must be transformed into reality.
“This transformation is possible if we, as citizens of this great country each take up a role and contribute positively to the fight against corruption both in word and in action,” he said.
Mr Banda said people must not only condemn corruption in public, while secretly practising it but stop it.
He said people must not sit idle to see corruption taking place, because in doing so it was draining the national resources.
Mr Banda said people must realise that no one institution or individual could claim to fight corruption.
He said the fight against corruption requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders regardless of their political or social affiliation.
However, recent slow growth has not only reigned in this optimism, but it has also revealed just how rampant Government corruption is throughout the country.
Consequently, in order for the entire nation to experience progress as a whole strong leadership is needed at the national level as preached by President Michael Sata.
Each organisation should be responsible for preventing corruption from occurring within its spheres of control.