VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda (pictured) says Government is enjoying a lot of donor support because of the favourable corruption perception index and efforts that have been put in place to fight the vice.Mr Kunda said the World Bank recently rated Zambia as one of the most improved and well-run countries.He was speaking at Kandundu Basic School in Solwezi yesterday.
Mr Kunda called on opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata and his United Party for National Development (UPND) counterpart, Hakainde Hichilema, to stop attacking Government on the way it is fighting corruption in the country.
About three weeks ago, this international organisation of international repute (World Bank) approved the way we are governing the country.
We do continue enjoying donor support because of the favourable corruption perception index and the way we are fighting corruption. We are promoting reconciliation and other good practices in good governance, the Vice-President said.
Mr Kunda said the information released by Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) also confirms Government efforts in the corruption fight. He said the information released by TIZ on corruption perception index is favourable to the country.
Zambia has done well in fighting corruption and our rating has gone up. We are now considered favourably by the donor community, he said.
Mr Kunda said President Bandas administration is well-placed to look after the resources of the people of Zambia.
These corruption perception indices are scientifically measured. They are ascertained scientifically; not what you read about in newspapers, he said.
Mr Kunda said to come up with the information, scientific studies are conducted on service delivery by Government.
He said Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema are jealous of the way the MMD is governing the country and that is the reason they are always talking about the government. Mr Kunda said the two pact leaders have been peddling lies and asked the people of Zambia not to trust what they read in some newspapers.
Do not trust what you read in papers. People make all sorts of allegations, those are lies. Every day there are lies in these papers and that is not the basis used to measure corruption, he said.
Mr Kunda assured the nation that Government is fighting corruption and wondered why Mr Hichilema was criticising the corruption fight.
Each time HH goes on radio, he talks about the way we are fighting corruption and he wants to criticise us, he said.
Mr Kunda said some of the people who have been insulting Mr Banda have criminal backgrounds and tendencies.
All these people, if you look at their background, these people who have been insulting the President, insulting ministers, accusing us of corruption, these people have criminal backgrounds and criminal tendencies. We have sealed all loopholes from which they would want to access public funds and that is why they are criticising our leadership, he said.
And Government says the improvement in Zambias corruption rating is proof that the measures it has put in place to fight the vice are working.
Deputy Minister of Justice Todd Chilembo said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Government has been vindicated by the improved ratings in the fight against corruption. He was commenting on the 2009 Transparency International corruption perception index (CPI) report released in Lusaka on Tuesday.
This is what we need; reports based on research as opposed to wild statements which are not even researched. This report has data which has been analysed, showing that we are making headway in fighting corruption, Mr Chilembo said.
He, however, said while it is impossible to eradicate corruption, Government is working towards reducing its occurrence.
The problem we have is greed by some people, but we are doing everything possible to change this, Mr Chilembo said.
He said the fight against corruption is an ongoing process whose policy will be reviewed from time to time.
Mr Chilembo said Government is reviewing techniques of fighting corruption by enhancing the role of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
If we stick to the Task Force for so many years, a lot of corruption might not be detected. Enhancing the ACC is important because white collar crime will be exposed, he said.
Mr Chilembo said criminals are sophisticated and therefore Government cannot hang on to the same tactics of fighting corruption through the Task Force which was only probing former President Frederick Chilubas administration.
Mr Chilembo appealed to Zambians to give Government chance to continue fighting corruption. He said Government expects a further improvement in the next report because of measures it has put in place through the national corruption policy.
Mr Chilembo said Government is considering improving remuneration for lawyers, if the corruption fight has to be effective. He said Government is also looking at prevention of corruption incidents by sensitising the public. Mr Chilembo called upon all well-meaning Zambians to join in the fight against corruption.
This fight is not for Government alone but all Zambians, including the media, he said.
Zambia Daily Mail
Post published in: Economy