By Mcloyd Chilangiza :
Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara has reaffirmed government’s commitment towards allocating resources to institutions which are spearheading the fight against corruption in the country
Hara made the remarks in Lilongwe Thursday when the Malawi Parliament observed the Anti-Corruption Open Day.
The day provides an opportunity for members of Parliament and members of staff of Parliament to show their commitment towards fighting corruption.
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Gotani Hara said legislators play a significant role by directing monetary resources to agencies that facilitate the fight against corruption as well as providing budget review to protect government resources.
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“We represent people’s wishes by ensuring that we reduce corruption and allocate enough resources to agencies that fight corruption in a bid to facilitate investigation for alleged corrupt dealings,” she said.
The Speaker also said Parliament has put in place measures to provide checks and balances in all procurement deals to ensure that government funds are safeguarded from mismanagement.
She further implored the legislators to encourage awareness campaigns in their constituencies are aimed at actively sensitising communities to desist from corruption.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma called on parliamentarians to desist from corruption, saying the bureau would not spare anyone involved in the vice.
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“It’s a fact that some members of Parliament are involved in corrupt practices; but as a bureau, our fidelity is to the law and the people of Malawi. Therefore, we will not shy away from probing legislators involved in corruption,” Chizuma said.
She then commended Parliament for spearheading the allocation of resources as well as establishing its Institutional Integrity Committee [IIC] “which is protecting the interests of Malawians”.
Political and governance commentator Henry Chingaipe observed gaps in how Parliament plays its role in stemming corruption and called for concerted efforts towards combating graft.
Democracy International Chief of Party Christian Gjorgievski reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to continuing supporting Parliament in strengthening legislative functions to combat corruption.
“In Malawi, combating corruption is a priority, so our work reflects that. For instance, 12 months ago, we facilitated the cooperation between the Legal Affairs Committee and the Anti- Corruption Bureau,” Gjorgievski said.
Parliament, through its IIC, commemorated its first Anti-Corruption Day on November 30, 2022 and the commemoration this year is part of the Silver Jubilee celebration for ACB.
The event started with a big walk from Total Filling Station along the Independence Drive via Reserve Bank of Malawi to Parliament Building.
