By Mercy Matonga & Rabecca Chimjeka:
Financial support to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) may have been increased in this year’s budget allocation, but it remains insufficient when compared to the bureau’s budget.
According to estimates contained in the budget statement, which Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda presented to Parliament on Friday last week, the bureau has been allocated K8.691 billion, falling short of the requested K10.833 billion.
This means it is facing a deficit of 20 percent, a development ACB Director General Martha Chizuma bemoaned Wednesday when she appeared before members of the Parliamentary Budget Cluster Committee on Legal Affairs.
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However, the K10.833 billion allocation marks an increase from the 2023-24 national budget allocation, which was pegged at K7.29 billion.
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Chizuma told cluster members in Lilongwe that the shortfall is likely to impact the bureau’s performance in the coming year.
She said this is because the upward adjustment of K2 billion from the previous financial year still falls short of the budget the bureau requested from the Treasury.
Chizuma later told The Daily Times that the shortfall is likely to impact the bureau’s performance in the coming year.
She added that the bureau is still determined to fight corruption despite increasing public frustration with progress in the fight against the vice.
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“The zeal is still there and ACB still has enthusiasm despite many challenges that the bureau has been facing.
“However, for the bureau to perform better in the fight, every citizen has to take responsibility, from the President to a mere citizen who decides to do things ethically,” Chizuma said.
On his part, Legal Affairs Committee Chairperson Albert Mbawala acknowledged the bureau’s position, saying the stated budget needs are legitimate.
He said the committee would submit ACB’s request to the Treasury.
Mbawala, however, noted that the country has retrogressed on Transparency International’s global corruption index.
“The index indicates a regression. Naturally, they have acknowledged the contributing factors to the pattern and our hope is for an improvement,” Mbawala said.
According to the 2023 Corruption Index, Malawi is ranked 115th out of 180 countries with a score of 34 percent, compared to 2022’s ranking of 110th with a score of 35 percent.
In another development, the Cluster Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and Public Appointments on Tuesday asked for a 50 percent cut on the allocation to the Office of the Vice President (VP).
The funds in question are meant for maintenance of the VP’s area 12 and Mudi State residences.
The committee has also questioned the procurement of a van, truck and four mobile toilets for the VP— all amounting to K250 million.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the office has asked for additional funds amounting to K1.2 billion for the maintenance of Area 12 and Mudi residences and the purchase of the vehicle.
Principal Secretary in the VP’s Office, Lucky Sikwese, justified to the committee the need to rehabilitate two houses for the VP, saying they are in bad state.
He added that the VP has been using a private mobile toilet during official engagements.
“We are asking for additional funds in order to maintain the two houses in Area 12 and in Mudi, where there is no conducive environment for the Vice President, who has all along been using his private mobile toilet and, if funds permit, the mobile toilets will be placed in Blantyre, one in Mzuzu and one in Lilongwe for easy movement,” Sikwese said.
But cluster chairperson Joyce Chitsulo asked officials from the VP’s office to consider reducing the amount they want.
“As much as we want our Vice President to live comfortably, we suggest that your office cut the allocation for the maintenance of the residences by 50 percent and money for the procurement of the mobile toilet van and lorry by 50 percent so that the money can be put to other uses,” Chitsulo said.
The committee has, however, allowed the office of the VP to seek additional funds amounting to K400 million to revive and implement the Quick Impact Results Programme, which is expected to conduct performance assessments in selected ministries, departments and agencies to enhance service delivery.
The office is asking for K2.5 billion in additional funding from the initial K4.9 billion allocated in the 2024–25 budget.
