By Cathy Maulidi:
A youth based organization; Youth and Society (YAS) has bemoaned increasing levels of corruption in the country, saying serious and organized corruption is undermining the future of the youth by creating a toxic environment that is unfair and unjust.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, YAS Executive Director Charles Kajoloweka said Corruption is depriving the youth opportunities of growth and development, which impairs their ability to succeed in life.
“For example, corruption impacts the youth by restricting their access to fundamental socioeconomic development including education, employment, and healthcare, as it often diverts funds away from education and into the pockets of corrupt officials, making it difficult for young people to access quality development.
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“This creates a cycle of poverty and inequality that prevents the youth from succeeding in life. Therefore, it is essential that as a country we should combat corruption,” Kajoloweka said.
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According to Kajoloweka, combatting corruption is also essential for promoting good governance, ensuring accountability, and fostering sustainable development.
Kajoloweka added: “To combat endemic corruption in Malawi, we must allocate resources to support the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACs) and strengthen governance and law enforcement agencies to combat organized corruption effectively.
“As a country, we must also prioritize transparency, accountability, and integrity in public institutions to rebuild public trust and confidence. Government also needs to provide adequate resources to key governance and law enforcement agencies to enhance their capacity to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption.”
In the 2024/25 national budget, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was allocated K8.691 billion, which is falling short of what the bureau requested which is K10.833; billion representing a 20 percent deficit.
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ACB Director General Martha Chizuma told a parliamentary committee cluster last month, that the shortfall is likely to impact the bureau’s performance in the coming year.
She however said despite the resource constraints, the bureau is still determined to fight corruption.
“The zeal is still there, and ACB still has enthusiasm despite many challenges it 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,” said Chizuma.
In the 2023/24 national budget, the bureau received an allocation of K7.29 billion.
