British envoy says if Malawi is to grow, curb corruption: ‘There is a cartel’
British High Commissioner Holly Tett says worsening corruption is impacting negavtively on the average Malawians that continue being subjected to sub-standard public service as well as loss of investments in the public sector.
She was speaking on behalf of development partners at the International Anti-Corruption Day in Mangochi held on Monday.
“We are speaking as true friends of Malawi, genuinely willing to share our experiences and ideas to overcome the scourge of corruption,” said the UK envoy.
She added: “The reality is, if Malawi is not able to check corruption, it will further undermine your development agenda, erode trust within taxpayers, scare way investors and make it hard for development partners to continue delivering assistance to the country.”
Tett also said there is a “cartel” of “ politically-connected” individuals who operate within the private sector that push to win public procurement contracts.
She said corruption is an issue cutting across all sectors in Malawi and the United Kingdom (UK) has raised the matter with government on a number of occasions.
The development partners want institutions that cover corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau [ACB] to be properly resourced and that the appointment process for people at the top of such organisations is transparent.
On his part, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Bright Msaka said although corruption remains rampant in the country, government has put in place measures to control it.
“Yes, there is corruption but I can challenge that over the years, we have implemented interventions that have tackled it. We are still committed because as a country, we cannot afford to condone corruption,” said Msaka who once serviced as Chief Secretary to Government and also previously was Malawi envoy to UK.
Corruption undermines social and economic development, impacts national security and affects the ability of millions of citizens to access adequate education, healthcare and other basic public services.
Human Rights Consultative Committee chairperson (HRCC), Maxwell Mkwezalamba, states that corruption has only made lives of poor Malawians worse.
“As a result of rampant corruption, the much needed support for clinics, bridges, provision of piped water, environmental and community-based development activities becomes disturbed. This results in the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. Corruption retards growth and development and leads to substandard and poor quality work,” Mkwezalamba is on record saying.
Malawi heavily relies on donor support such as the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID).
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I hear the same Blantyre city council wants people who bought malo in areas such as kameza , chatha to start paying city rates. These are not plots allocated by the city council. The city is not providing any services in those areas such as refuse collection, road infrastructure etc. If they will say its because the buildings are within the city limits then, the question that will arise is, are those who build along the road and surrounding areas like chirimba going to pay city rates? Should we say they are already paying city rates? I also hear there… Read more »
Malawi and Africa is in a mess. It got independence 100 years too early. According to World Bank, Malawi in real terms is worse than it was in 1964. It is time Malawi should be a British colony again. The reason is because of rampant corruption.
A weak Head of State, who may himself be complicit In the corruption, is also at the root of the problem. The country is in desperate need of a strong and fearless leader who will get to grips with this systemic corruption.
In a nutshell, for Malawi to grow, we need to curb Peter Munthalika and his Dpp
The issue of cartel is that there are some companies whose owners are politically connected when it comes to government contracts. They are the same companies that win govt contracts meaning that govt money circulates within these companies. If co A wins a contract to construct a bridge then company B is constructing a road, then company C is building an office complex and company d is constructing a stadium. All these through restricted tendering. Why as if these are emergencies? Thats what the briton is talking about here. As for the companies you know them. Tiyenazoni.
Ministry of Local Government is on top list of one of the corrupt Ministries. For Example there are many corrupt Managers at Blantyre City Assembly some of them have just overstayed in their positions and need to be transferred to other City Assemblies. Blantyre City assembly has stopped functioning, they have stopped maintaining the City Infrastructures long time ago. They are now busy selling land to foreigners corruptly and the money gets into their pockets. One of the managers in Planning Section is just too rich, he sends rangers to scout around Locations and Townships in Blantyre and Limbe to… Read more »
Lilongwe City Council is even worse….Only Plans submitted by AMWENYE , NIGERIANS, BURUNDI and foreigners are approved by its Director of Planning, Local Malawians Plans take years and ages to be approved just because they dont Corrupt The Director Of Planning. Even location Plots…Check only plots in MWENYES Areas of 9, 2. 46 are approved and massive development happening but in Local Malawian Areas of 49, 47, 43, nothing……Please bwana Minister of Local Government, Clean Up Lilongwe City Council, ,its all on AMWENYE Payroll. The Director of Planning has 13 Houses in Town, ..,AMWENYES tell him which plots and developments… Read more »
Not transferred, but fired. If you transfer such people you also transferring the problem. Fire them! I mean we baby sit each other in Malawi thats why the gap between the poor and widens. Just fanvy you are transferring someone from LLWB to agriculture for what. Are there no people to fill those posts in the irrigation department?. Its madness and unfounded.
With DPP goverment ipromise you that corruption will never end The best way to stop the corruption is all the foreign countries must suspend all the financial aid to this goverment cos poor Malawians are suffering out there cos of this greedy vampire politicians .And how we expect them to tackle corruption?? After all they are in goverment through tpx
Nothing new here.
Serious corruption at Department of Immigration