Africanews
Misappropriation and mismanagement of public funds has been reigning Malawi since the era of the former president Dr Banda. President Bakili's efforts to stamp these ills in his government have been frustrated gy his top civil servants. Now, an anti-corruption Bureau has been established. Will this strategy work? |
The malawi constitution provides for the establishment of an Anti-corruption Bureau in a bid to curb an anti-social habit which has in the past wrecked donor's good intention to bring development to the impoverished Central Africa.
The advent of democracy in the country after 30 years of Dr. Banda's autocratic rule has brought the call for transparency and accountability among public officers. Dr. Banda and his cronies were neither transparent nor accountable to anyone. Cases of corruption involving Banda's favourites were hushed away. Banda himself used numerous residents and businesses. The new magnificent 200 million dollars State House in the capital, Lilongwe is a case in point. To date no proper records exist to show how Banda managed to secure enormous funds to erect Africa's biggest presidential palace.
President Bakili Muluzi elected on a populist vote two years ago won the seat on the promise of transparency and accountability but shocking stories of corruption abound in Malawi . Thanks to the ever watchful eyes of the country's growing vibrant press, very shocking revelation of corruption has been revealed.
Immediately after taking office Muluzi embarked on a Free Primary Education Programme which saw enrollment increasing from 1.3 million to 3 million pupils and recruitment of 22,000 untrained teachers. This increase prompted the demand of stationery among other needs. Minister of Education, then Sam Mpasu, long time friend of Muluzi used unorthodox methods to secure exercises from a United Kingdom based firm ignoring local firms. He wanted to get kickbacks. He was later sacked.
Former coalition partner Chakufwa Chihana President of Alliance For Democracy has accused Government officials among other things of being involved in smuggling of maize from the drought country to neighbouring countries. A number of Ministers have been accused of receiving kickbacks. Rolf Patel, former Cabinet Minister has also condemned his colleagues of being corrupt.
Besides top civil servants cannot be spared. Though no official report has emerged some civil servants kept ghost workers on their payrolls and pocketed their stipends. To sniff out this culprits a civil service census was conducted last year as a part of the general reconstructing of the service. The Human Resources department responsible for recruitment and the Data processing Unit have been contradicting figures on the civil servants. A report on the census has revealed that over 100,000 are in the civil service, lower than the figures given before which went to over 200,000.
The Governor of the Reserve Bank, Pro. Matthews Chikaonda was a few months ago accused of extravagantly spending over 600,000 US dollars on erecting security fences for his official residence and furnishing it with very exotic fabrics. He preaches expenditure control as the poor nation reels under the weight of structural adjustment programme supervised by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
One of the bodies that steered Malawi's transition from dictatorship to democracy, quari-religious Public Affairs Committee (PAC) expressed its concerns over escalating revelations of corruption at its meeting with President Muluzi. PAC advised the president to quickly set up the Anti- corruption Bureau which was delayed for months since its legislation last year.
Muluzi has fulfilled his promise. Former Auditor General a career civil servant Gilton Chiwaula is the first Director of the Bureau. "I will appoint a Malawian of high integrity and undoubted qualification to that office," said Muluzi.
Gilton Chiwaula is a professional accountant and economist and has served in various positions including being secretary to the Treasury during Dr. Banda's reign when funds were chanelled to unbudgeted for projects like the construction of a top class grammar school Kamuzu Academy which Banda claims was built with funds from his pocket. A few murmurs have been sounded on Chiwaula's ability to act given a similar treatment by Muluzi or his cronies. But a step has been made in the effort to curb corruption. Chiwuala has been accepted by Parliament and has since taken his post.
The passing of the corruption practices Bureau sparked prolonged debate last year. Opposition politicians never wanted the clause allowing the president to appoint the Anti-corruption Bureau Director. Among other things the legislators feared a presidential appointee would not act independently but the Government views prevailed. A presidential appointee will be free from political maneuvers from parties with intention to derail Government work.
The corrupt practices act says a public officer who shows to hire above his means, commensurate to his past or present emoluments will be subject to investigation by the anti-corruption bureau.
The official Government Gazette singles out those in control or possession of percuniary resources and property as those failing to report cases of corruption to be scrutinised by the bureau. The Gazette adds that those who will hinder assault or resist the work of the Director in the execution of his duties will also be prosecuted. To ensure that people are not unjustly accused of corruption, the law provides for prosecution of those guilty of false accusation.
The Bureau has the powers of arrest after an issue of warrant by a magistrate. To curb cases of impersonation, members of the public will be required to ask for identity cards from any person claiming to be an officer from the Bureau.
The law carries a number of punishments for various offenses, like the case of false reports and accusations of corruption, an offender will be fined 6000 Us dollars or 10 years imprisonment, while obstruction of the Bureau's task will attract 4,600 US dollars or seven years imprisonment. Impersonation officer of the Bureau carries the dollars or seven years imprisonment as well.
Rev. Aaron Longwe a prominent political activist who campaigned for change from one party to multi-party democracy views the issue different. He says the Director needs to do his homework thoroughly because some politicians would wish to use the Bureau to victimise their political rivals. In that way we will be reverting to past tendencies when Dr. Banda used his close allies to report on his enemies. As a result many politicians and civil servants or pluck officers lost their careers.
"I know many cunning politicians on both sides, government or opposition capable of doing just that to deal with opponents. That is what we must avoid to build this nation," cautions Longwe.
One may be compelled to agree with Rev. Longwe and the recent events at the reserve Bank. The coalition agreement between Chihana and Muluzi included an agreed quota on appointment of public figures. Bakili Muluzi appointed the governor of the Reserve Bank Prof. Chikaonda who returned home from America after the polical transition Chihana chose his home mate Prof. Mussa Njolwa to be deputy at the Bank. Revelations on the Bank's overexpenditure were linked to misunderstandings and petty jealousies between the two. Prof. Njolwa is alleged to have divulged the information to The Democrat, a newspaper controlled by Chihana to discredit the more articulate colleague.
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