The 2012 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has shown that the Patriotic Front (PF) government is one of the most corrupt in Africa.
Speaking at the launch of the report today, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) past president Reuben Lifuka said political leaders should demonstrate eagerness to rooting out public sector corruption.
According to the 2012 CPI, Zambia has scored 37 out of a possible 100. With this score, Zambia is in the 88th category. A number of African countries totalling 11 have performed much better than Zambia in the 2012 CPI.
Lifuka said it is not enough for the PF government to merely make public pronouncements on fighting corruption but that President Michael Sata and his ministers should lead by example in their conduct.
“It is discouraging to hear allegations and counter allegations of corruption against political leaders – this simply demonstrates that we still have a long way and political leadership in the fight against corruption needs further strengthening,” he said.
Currently PF top ministers Geoffrey Mwamba for defence and Wynter Kabimba for justice are facing corruption allegations before the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The matters are under investigations and Kabimba recently came under public criticism for ferrying PF thugs to the ACC when he appeared for interrogations.
Likuka said TIZ does not subscribe to protection of any person from prosecution if at all overwhelming evidence exists. He said the last thing that government should do is to be seen to be protecting a few people from prosecution as this will send wrong signals both to the local and international community.
He said after a year of focus on corruption, it was expected that government would take a tougher stance in 2012 against the abuse of power but it was not the case.
Lifuka also identified the urgent need for the government to enact the freedom of access to information law if levels of corruption in this country have to significantly reduce.
Lifuka said from the results of the 2012 CPI, the learning point for the low performers from the high performers are that the high performers have robust access to information systems.
“We therefore anticipate that the 2011 CPI will mark as a reference point in the approach towards the fight against corruption by all stakeholders especially President Michael Chilufya Sata and his administration,” he said.