Chakwera calls the nation to deeply reflect on the corruption practices and tendencies

On Thursday, 23rd November, 2023, President Lazarus Chakwera called upon all the citizenry to deeply reflect on the magnitude of corruption practices and tendencies in the country among the current generation of public officials if it is beyond redemption.

He made the call during this year’s Anti-Corruption Bureau symposium marking 25 years of its existence in the country that was held at Bingu International Convention Center in the city of Lilongwe.

“This room is full, and the reason many Malawians are following this event is because there are thousands we can find in every institution who are not corrupt and who are ready to take-on the forces of corruption, all they are waiting for is for us to enlist them and tell them how they can help in creation of a new Malawi that is free from corruption.

Because the army exists of that kind, we must choose to turn our frustrations into hope. The kind of hope that believes that every victory against corruption is within reach and inevitable. So let us keep up the good fight” Said President Chakwera in his speech.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo said various sectors are undertaking several initiatives in fighting corruption to reverse the trend, adding that the symposium was built on the same spirit.

Said Mvalo; “The Symposium which started yesterday is built on the same spirit and interest to complement the gains of campaign which you launched last year.

Further, the Justice Minister said the symposium resonated very well with President Chakwera’s wish of seeing a corrupt free Malawi.

Mvalo additionally told the nation that there is a need to ensure that laws are robust, fair, and able to hold the corrupt to account, hence his Ministry is working towards providing necessary directions to deal with corruption including enhancing coordination of accountability institutions.

On her part, Anti-Corruption Bureau Director General, Martha Chizuma commended President Chakwera for leading the fight against corruption in the country.

She said; “It is during your Presidency that space has been provided for Malawians to genuinely face and confront the depth and ugliness of this vice of corruption in this country. It is your Presidency that has not shied away from bringing Malawians together many times over as it has happened during this Symposium and have an honest and open discussion about this vice. It is your Presidency that had to make some of the most uncomfortable and painful decisions so that we can advance the Anti-Corruption fight in this country”

Chizuma then disclosed that the reviews and amendments over the years have been to strengthen the Bureau with the latest being the removal of the requirement for the consent from the Director of the Public Prosecution to prosecute Anti-Corruption cases.

The 2023 symposium by ACB was one of the activities that the bureau is undertaking between October and 9th December 2023 as it commemmorates 25 years of its operations, and was conducted under the theme “Rethinking Anti-Corruption approaches for Malawi 2063”