Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera, urged citizens not to lose hope in the fight against corruption but instead to channel their frustrations into fostering optimism for a new approach to combat the problem. Speaking in Lilongwe during the Anti-Corruption Symposium and the 25th-anniversary celebration of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the President drew parallels between the corruption situation in Malawi and the biblical narrative of Elijah.
He likened it to Elijah’s complaint to God about being the only uncorrupted person in the land during Ahab and Jezebel’s rule. God’s response, as narrated by Chakwera, was to laugh at Elijah and instruct him to collaborate with the 7,000 Israelites who were incorrupt and just.
“The story of Elijah is showing us that there is a generation out there, thousands in different institutions, who are not corrupt and are ready to take on the forces of corruption as a way of recreating a new Malawi that is free from corruption.
“As we celebrate this silver jubilee milestone, let us know that everything we need to fight corruption is within reach; those who are for corruption free Malawi are more than those who are against and these thousands are just waiting to be reached and be taught on how they can fight this vice,” he said.
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach reiterated the President’s speech saying dealing with corruption requires concerted efforts from different stakeholders as fighting the vice is a continued battle.
“I would like to commend the ACB Director General, Martha Chizuma for demonstrating her efforts to end corruption. EU will keep supporting ACB in the fight against corruption through financial as well as technical assistance,” said Skinnebach.
ACB Director General, Martha Chizuma commended the President for his political will to fight corruption saying it is his administration that has seen the presidency bringing Malawians together to discuss ways of fighting corruption in the country.
“I am happy that it was right here at Bingu International Convention Centre where the idea of a symposium was hatched. Here we are, with the President, commemorating this day as we are taking the fight against corruption to higher levels.
“The symposium is a platform of engaging Malawians from different angles on how corruption vice can be fought in Malawi to advance a corruption free nation as we celebrate 25 years of ACB inception,” said Chizuma.
The symposium, which was commemorated under the theme “Rethinking Anti – Corruption Approaches for Malawi 2063”, attracted delegates from Namibia and other Southern Africa Development Corporation (SADC) member states as well as heads of United Nations organisations and ambassadors.
