Corruption fight is more than rhetoric
President Peter Mutharika’s remarks Sunday during a church service at Mtambanyama Evangelical Church of Malawi in Thyolo have just validated long-standing assertions that, as a country, we are doing very little to end corrupt practices.
Mutharika has cautioned Malawians to desist from what he dubbed as jealous syndrome which he said retards development of the country.
The President said instead of working together to promote unity, culture and development in the country, there is too much jealousy in the country, saying this is affecting the fight against corruption.
Of course, corruption produces far-reaching, indirect effects on the provision of public services, on poverty and social welfare.
Corruption damages and undermines development.
Mutharika’s plea is not new at all.
Several actors have raised the same issue repeatedly.
But while it is true that every Malawian needs to take part in the fight against corruption, there is a greater need for the government to exhibit genuine enthusiasm to lead in putting an end to corrupt practices.
Efforts to eradicate corrupt tendencies have been frustrated by weak conditional bodies and lack of political will, among others.
So frustrating it has been that while the majority of the citizenry have acknowledge that there is rampant corruption in the country, the government has always wanted Malawians to believe otherwise.
The state of Malawi, in fact, is that of disabling despair.
It is also a captured state in the grips of non-listening arrogant leaders.
Not too surprising that the Anti-Corruption Bureau, times without number, has failed to move with speed on matters that appear to harbour all ingredients of corrupt practices.
This has led to Malawians losing trust in the body which has the responsibility of making this land corrupt-free.
ACB’s failure to prosecute Aaron Ntchindi Msowoya and another person who were arrested four years ago on money laundering charges related to Cashgate at the Ministry of Tourism’s Department of Tourism is just one an isolated example among many.
But fighting corruption needs more than mere rhetoric Mr President.
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