REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
Remarks by the Permanent Secretary-Administration Mrs. Thandiwe Daka Oteng during the launch of the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index
HELD AT TAJ PAMODZI HOTEL IN LUSAKA
ON TUESDAY, 30TH JANUARY, 2024
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
LUSAKA
JANUARY, 2024.
- THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION;
- THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, DRUG ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION;
- THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT, TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ZAMBIA;
- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ZAMBIA;
- REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS PRESENT;
- REPRESENTATIVES OF COOPERATING PARTNERS PRESENT;
- PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT;
- DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;
- MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT IS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO OFFICIATE AT THIS LAUNCH OF THE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL 2023 CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX (CPI) UNDER THE THEME “CORRUPTION AND INJUSTICE.” THE PUBLICATION OF THE CPI IS A LANDMARK MOMENT THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY YEAR. IT AFFORDS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT OUR COUNTRY’S PROGRESS OR SHORTCOMINGS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TOP-MOST PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW DAWN ADMINISTRATION.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
ALLOW ME, ON THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION, TO ACKNOWLEDGE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL – ZAMBIA, FOR TAKING THE LEAD EVERY YEAR, IN SHARING THE CPI RESULTS FOR ZAMBIA. INDEED, IF LEFT UNCHECKED, CORRUPTION CAN ERODE THE INTEGRITY OF SOCIETY AND ITS INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNANCE. IT IS, THEREFORE, IMPERATIVE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO JOIN HANDS IN COUNTERING CORRUPTION.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
SINCE FORMING GOVERNMENT, THE NEW DAWN ADMINISTRATION REMAINS RESOLUTE TO ITS COMMITMENT OF ZERO-TOLERANCE TO CORRUPTION. THIS IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE UPHOLDING OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE RULE OF LAW, PROMOTING A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY, ENSURING EFFECTIVE PROSECUTIONS AND THE RECOVERY OF STOLEN ASSETS. THESE HAVE BEEN, BUT SOME OF THE TOPMOST INTERVENTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT. WE, THEREFORE, WELCOME THE PROGRESSIVE FINDINGS FROM THE 2023 CPI, PARTICULARLY THAT THERE IS INDICATION THAT ZAMBIA HAS IMPROVED ITS CPI SCORE.
THIS IS INDEED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE THAT REFLECTS OUR GOVERNMENT TO ENHANCING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH TACKLING CORRUPTION AS WELL AS ENGENDERING JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION HAS BEEN A CRUCIAL POLICY AGENDA FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION SINCE ITS VERY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE. WE ARE, THEREFORE, MAKING IMPORTANT STRIDES TOWARDS ENHANCING GOOD GOVERNANCE AS WELL AS STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORKS SO AS TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY. THIS, WE BELIEVE, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE REDUCED OVERALL LEVELS OF CORRUPTION.
YOU RECALL THAT ONE OF THE FIRST MEASURES TAKEN BY THIS GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS CORRUPTION WAS TO LAUNCH “PROJECT RECOVERY” WITH THE INTENT TO RECOVER ASSETS OBTAINED ILLICITLY AND CORRUPTLY. GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COURT IN ORDER TO ENSURE SWIFT DISPENSATION OF CORRUPTION CASES.
MOREOVER, GOVERNMENT HAS PUSHED FORWARD IMPORTANT LEGAL REFORMS THAT HAVE PAVED WAY FOR HIGHER LEVELS OF TRANSPARENCY, INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT ENACTMENT OF THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT NO. 24 OF 2023. THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO ENHANCING ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE STATE TOWARDS ITS CITIZENS. THIS LAW WILL ALLOW CITIZENS TO ACCESS PUBLIC INFORMATION UPON REQUEST, THEREBY INHERENTLY LIMITING THE EXTENT TO WHICH WRONGDOING, MALADMINISTRATION OR INDEED CORRUPTION MIGHT THRIVE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION, GATHERED HERE TODAY, THROUGH THE MEDIA, THAT GOVERNMENT IS FIRMLY COMMITTED TO BUILDING ON THIS PROGRESS IN ORDER TO HAVE A CORRUPT-FREE SOCIETY WHERE OUR CITIZENS WORK HONESTLY, BUSINESSES CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH INTEGRITY, PUBLIC SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT PAYING BRIBES, AND THE PUBLIC CONTRACTS ARE UNDERTAKEN IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AS I CONCLUDE, ALLOW ME TO INFORM THE NATION THAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR A HOLISTIC NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK, CABINET APPROVED THE “REVISED NATIONAL POLICY ON ANTI-CORRUPTION,” IN DECEMBER, 2023. THE NEXT IMMEDIATE STEPS, THEREFORE, IS EMBARKING ON AN INCLUSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS IMPORTANT POLICY.
I WANT TO ALSO MENTION HERE THAT GOVERNMENT WILL, GOING FORWARD, PROVIDE THE REQUISITE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT THE CPI SCORE CONTINUES TO IMPROVE.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL,
I THANK YOU.
