Word on the street

Corruption: Can it ever be controlled, Mr President?

This country is doomed. Everywhere you look you see corrupt people. On the roads, our traffic police officers are so corrupt they make us sick.

On the streets, at night, we are no longer safe. The police officers, who are supposed to protect us, attack us without any remorse.

A few months ago, a colleague and I were attacked in Ndirande Township in Blantyre by five uniformed policemen. When I reported the matter to Ndirande Police Unit, officers at this office rubbished our claim, saying we were attacked by thugs instead.

Yet, my colleague and I saw with our own ‘naked eyes’ that the thugs had Malawi Police Service (MPS)-marked guns, uniform, boots and handcuffs. How could thugs carry such sophisticated police gear? The answer in my view is that some corrupt police officers must have rented out their gear then!

The rot is so real in this country so much that you have to bribe your way at every point of your life, including at the grocery shop. Those who live in Blantyre know what I mean. At a popular shop in the city you have to bribe staff to get a product which is on discount. Otherwise, you are told that the product is out of stock.

On countless occasions I have to ‘tip’ salespeople at another popular shop to get a loaf of fresh bread. Corruption is so deep-rooted in this country and we should be ashamed.

I am, therefore, relieved that the Consumer Association of Malawi (Cama) this week decided to speak out against corruption, a day after APM said very little about the vice in his State of the Nation Address Monday night.

I agree with Cama’s John Kapito, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the President have been a huge let down in the fight against corruption in this country.

ACB was established by an Act of Parliament to, among others, take necessary measures for the prevention of corruption in public and private bodies. But ACB look the other way when people plunder the meagre resources that we have in this country.

As rightly said by Kapito, what is more embarrassing and confusing is that most of the corrupt practices are being done by people who are close to the President and the ruling party, therefore, compromising the fight against corruption.

I can’t agree more with this part of Cama’s statement: “While corruption continues to deny the poor access to economic and social justice, the leadership of this country has proven to be an embarrassing weakest link in the fight against corruption because the fight against corruption demands strong political leadership.

“It is clear and it is becoming more difficult for the President and the ACB to combat the ever-growing corrupt practices in the country. What the President and his cronies must realise is that the continued corruption taking place in the country is creating more poverty and making Malawi unattractive to foreign direct investment. Corruption is one of the main contributing factors to the continued withdrawal of donor support by many partners that assist Malawi financially.”

The problem in this country is when Kapito speaks the ruling elite will rubbish his views. Kapito has a point and is speaking for many on the street who have no voice.

Word on the street is APM must stop the rot in his government. He should stamp his authority and fire those involved in corruption at embassies as well as in parastatals and agencies.

Malawians are tired of corruption!

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The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their innermost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.—Ellen G White.

 

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