Anti-Corruption Bureau finalises Life style Audit Manual

By Wezzie Gausi

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has announced that it has finalised work on the Lifestyle Audit Manual that will be introduced soon for implementation.

The Lifestyle Audit will be a guide to monitor how individuals accumulate wealth and serve as integrity test.

ACB Deputy Director Hilary Chilomba told The Daily Times that the lifestyle audit will be used for auditing those outside the public service as they are not spared from corruption.

He said, with the audit in place, they will depend on the citizenry to report to the bureau of any individual they suspect of accumulating wealth suspiciously.

“We are not saying that people should not get wealth but, rather, we want to make sure that the materials that individuals have are tallying with their earnings.

“For some time, people have associated corruption with working-class people but it is high time we were able to audit the public as well as they are not spared under the law,” Chilomba said.

Legal Affairs and Governance Assurance Cluster of Parliament Co-chairperson Jappie Mhango welcomed the development.

“We, as a cluster, are giving the ACB the go-ahead on plans to introduce the manual. And we pledge our full support to the implementation of the tool.

“Many are the times when politicians, and other people that are holding big positions, are accused of indulging in corruption but, with this tool, we are sure that it will prove people otherwise,” Mhango said.

The ACB was, alongside the Ministry of Justice, tasked to develop a roadmap for the implementation of lifestyle audits in the public service.

The process was being done in line with Section 32 of the Corrupt Practices Act.