Malawi govt asked to ‘walk the talk’ on corrupt contractors after VP Chilima threatens to name, shame

Malawi government has been told  to put its house in order and gets serious on rooting out corruption at all levels after Vice President Saulos Chilima said on Tuesday that he is dismayed by reports of corruption in the construction industry and threatened to name and shame the culprits denting the sector’s image.

Chilima: Warns he would name and shame corrupt contractors
Chilima: Warns he would name and shame corrupt contractors

The vice president’s comments comes hot on theals of so many corrupt activities which are being conducted with impunity concerning taxpayer funded projects. But there is inaction by authorities due to inept Anti Corruption Bureau.

In its editorial comment titled ‘Walk the talk on corruption’, The Nation newspaper on Wednesday noted that there are numerous projects on which government has spent huge sums of money but there is little to show by way of deliverables.

It said the deep-rooted culture of malfeasance in the construction sector is exemplified by the many players from this sector in the ongoing Cashgate cases.

“As the Vice President rightly pointed out yesterday, corruption is not only tainting the image of the sector but also taking to ransom Malawians who are supposed to benefit from the projects. It is also a great disservice to the future generation,” reads the editorial comment in the paper.

It said VP Chilima’s threats to name and shame the culprits is not new or enough.

“What has been lacking all along is the resolve to crack the whip without looking at who is involved in the unethical conduct,” said the paper.

Chilima, who was appointed by President Peter Mutharika to be  champion for the Construction Sector Transparency (CoST) initiative, has been urged to work with the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) and the Ministry of Transport and Public Wirks to not only name and shame the corrupt gangsters in the sector but also ensure they face the law.

In his speech, Chilima called for action against those found on the wrong side of the law in the construction industry.

“I know there is indiscipline, corruption, bribery and a deep seated culture of allowances that is choking operations in the industry…There have been media revelations that projects which do not have provision for allowances suffer a lot because officials shun such projects,” said Chilima.

He continued: “This is uncalled for and morally wrong, to say the least. This has to stop. You are holding your country to a ransom at the expense of personal needs. Come to think about delayed projects”

Chilima wondered is such tendencies did not mwan delaying nd punishing future generations for sins they have not committed.

“Come to think about delayed projects like the Cancer Centre project, Phalombe Hospital, and Chikwawa Teachers Colleges,” said Chilima. “Aren’t we delaying our own development and punishing the future generation for the sins they haven’t committed?

“Think about the abandoned or delayed health centers, class room blocks. What and where is our conscious when we steal funds or frustrate projects that are purely meant to uplift the life of the poor citizen in the village or indeed across the country?”

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Ignorant man
Ignorant man
7 years ago

Mr VP why not enter into bilateral agreement with the China government so that they should be doing all the construction work for us.The Chinese have an impeccable record of being efficient when doing things.Examples are the Karonga-Chitipa road and the LL stadium.

Madoda
Madoda
7 years ago

Don’t we have follow-up procedures in ensuring that we get things done according to laid-down agreements? Just naming them is not enough. If you know the culprits, why not bring them to court and stand as witness? The monitoring mechanism of the construction (or any other) projects is the one to blame. Why not reform this mechanism first or fire those entrusted with such responsibilities?

Ngalamayi
Ngalamayi
7 years ago

Perhaps the construction industry is just following the example set by Malawi’s government. Why bother to be honest and open when your leaders do not punish the corrupt among them?

Chalo
7 years ago

So the Cancer Centre delay is a product of corruption? This country stinks. I hope Chilima becomes Presisent to clean up this mess

The Analyst
The Analyst
7 years ago

O………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….O With the Nation Newspaper editorial, I cant agree more. You see . . . . . . This strategy of naming to shame is based on the assumption that people have integrity hence a sense of shame and umunthu; and therefore will feel embarrassed if they are named. . . . But is this assumption true? Not at all! coz if anyone willingly engages themselves in these corrupt practices, its clear, they have not even a kilobyte of integrity. . . . And will anyone worry if the only punishment they get for stealing K100mn is have their names… Read more »

The Analyst
The Analyst
7 years ago
Reply to  The Analyst

. . . with . . .

Yobe wa ku Rivirivi
Yobe wa ku Rivirivi
7 years ago

Indeed the revelation are true and by now even children knows that we are are a corrupt society. Even if we complain do we get any action on the ground? Is it not that when we are given a responsibility we also have authority? Integrity will emanate from consistently doing the right things using the authority provided. We all know that almost in every major case all those given authority go back to the appointing authority for the final direction if you think the right things are not being done why not tender a resignation on the basis that you… Read more »

OMEX70
OMEX70
7 years ago

We are tired with those empty threats Mr Vice president. We need action nothing else.

Peter Banda
Peter Banda
7 years ago

More speeches, more threats. These threats and speeches are tiring. It is now time for action. Walk the talk Mr. VP

Pope
Pope
7 years ago
Reply to  Peter Banda

I dare him to carry out his threat of naming and shaming. The delay of the cancer centre was not because of corruption but incompetence. Who in this country is clean? In addition we are not backward because theft and corruption but lack of brains. What can one steal in a country whose budget is under $2 billion? Corruption is in Nigeria, Kenya Pakistani etc osati kuno where $30 million frightens us.

maseko
maseko
7 years ago

we have listened to this song for so long a time, from politicians, from the media and from the appropriate bodies. now is the time to act. don’t hide any names. that culture of threatening to name and shame the culprits should be a thing of the past. let’s have the suspects’ names please

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