Chakwera echoes Chilima’s lifestyle audit, promises ‘war’ on graft but ‘no amnesty to thieves’

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera  is also talking a lifestyle audit which Vice-President Saulos Chilima has promised to roll out when elected as president in next year’s elections to weed out public officers and other citizens, whose earnings are well known but who live way beyond their means, from corrupt dealings.

Chilima talked about the “lifestyle audit “during his rallies in Mchinji at weekend as part of his campaign to clean up the government.

However, Chakwera said he will declare war on theft of public resources which will also include all public servants to undergo a compulsory lifestyle audit to account for their sources of wealth.

The MCP president said his ‘war on theft’ plan follows financial scandals that have rocked the country with revelations that billions of Kwacha were lost in various government agencies through corrupt deals that involved government officials.

He accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government for the socio-economic woes facing the country.

“We live in a country where cabinet ministers can have bags of inexplicable cash with impunity ….Presidents can be sole signatories of accounts that receive millions from businesses that bribe ruling parties to secure government contracts,” said Chakwera.

“This issue of people stealing what belongs to Malawians, I swear to God it has to come to an end in Malawi. The era of thievery and quietly watching it, ends on May 21, 2019,” he added.

Chakwera said in his first100 days in office as President, he will send a bill to Parliament to fully fund the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and make it independent.

“I will direct that all government contracts be reviewed and audited for conflicts of interests. I will put all government officials who head departments or approve contracts under a lifestyle audit,” said Chakwera.

Chakwera has also said he will begin the ground work for establishing a special Anti-Corruption Court to handle graft cases with speed.

“I will give no amnesty to thieves. They’ve been giving amnesty to each other for 25 years and enough is enough,” he added.

Chakwera said the leaders are busy enriching themselves through corrupt means and are failing to fight corruption because “they themselves are thieves and corrupt”.

He alleged that some government officials are forced into corruption and when they try to reveal culprits are threatened of death.