REMARKS BY MRS. PRISCILLA C. CHANSA, TI-Z CHAPTER PRESIDENT, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE REVISED NATIONAL POLICY ON ANTI-CORRUPTION, HELD ON FRIDAY 17TH MAY2024 AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (KK WING) IN LUSAKA
Salutations
I am honored and delighted to have this opportunity to make a few remarks on this very important occasion when the National Policy on Anti-Corruption (NPAC) is being launched. The NPAC is a national document that will not only guide the fight against corruption but also provide a holistic, collaborative, evidence-based and consistent collective action in the fight against corruption in Zambia.
May I start by congratulating the Government through the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), as well as all the non-state actors that participated in the thematic working group for the good work of coordinating the NPAC development process until its fruition. In the same manner, I say thank you to the Cooperating Partners who have supported this process from inception.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, in line with our mandate as an anti-corruption watchdog and advocate for the promotion of good governance at different levels of Zambia’s governance structure, we as TI-Z recognize the importance of collaborating with different stakeholders in both the public and private sector if we are to succeed in the fight against corruption. At the forefront of this collaboration effort has been the Government, primarily through the ACC, with whom we have collectively worked hard to advance the anti-corruption agenda in Zambia.
There have been some important steps taken by the Government which we believe will help to enhance the anti-corruption fight. These are the increased budgetary support to the ACC, the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Court, and other legislative reforms. All these efforts have been critical as they send a positive message to law enforcement agencies that they have Government’s support in fighting corruption. In addition to this, the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International at the start of this year indicates that Zambia has improved its score by four (4) points, which is a clear indication that we are doing something right
as a country when it comes to the fight against corruption, although more needs to be done.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, notwithstanding the progress made thus far, there are still challenges that need to be addressed if we are to win the fight against corruption. For instance, in addition to the limited geographical coverage of the ACC, consecutive surveys of the Zambia Bribe Payers Index (ZBPI) have shown the continued prevalence and experience of bribery at points of service delivery such as issuance of national documents, licenses, tax administration, and acquisition of land among others, clearly showing that we need to aggressively address the corruption scourge in our country.
Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, the launch of the NPAC is therefore a significant milestone in the fight against corruption in Zambia as policy reform responds to, among other things, changing contextual circumstances. TI-Z expects that the new Policy will reinforce the financial, human resource, and technical capacities of the authorities involved in fighting corruption, support improvement of the legal framework in the context of the fight against anti-corruption, and support the implementation of anti-corruption strategic documents to ensure that a coherent and coordinated policy of prevention, deterrence and repression of corruption is applied and backed by educational and communication measures. Further, we expect the Policy to strengthen corruption prevention measures in public and private bodies, transparency and accountability in public affairs, and delivery of public services, as well as promote mindset and behavioral change amongst the public in the fight against corruption.
A successful national anti-corruption strategy must not only lay out a comprehensive set of substantive policy reforms, but should provide the means for ensuring coordinated implementation, monitoring of executive branch agencies, and in many instances for coordinating the work of independent agencies, separate branches of Government and subnational government units. In this regard, TI-Z wishes to urge the Government, through the Ministry of Justice and ACC, to ensure that they expedite the dissemination and implementation of the Policy countrywide. This will help to create ownership and long-term links and commitment among partners as well as ensuring harmonization, coordination, and monitoring at all levels of the policy implementation cycle.
As I conclude, to further strengthen the fight against corruption in Zambia, TI-Z calls on the Government to fully domesticate the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The Government should further expedite the enactment of a holistic law for assets, liabilities and interests declarations, and a life style audit mechanism for senior public and state officers in order to enhance public accountability.
Distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen, may I end by calling upon all stakeholders and citizens to take this as an opportunity for renewed collective action against corruption in Zambia. TI-Z will walk this journey with all stakeholders involved, in order to see to it that the objectives of the Policy are fully realized.
I thank you and may God bless you all.
