Graft watchdog body says Malawi continues to lose 30% of budget to corruption annually

A graft watchdog body has expressed concern that Malawi continues to lose 30 per cent of its annual budget due to corruption.

Action Against Corruption, a network of civil society organisations against corruption, said the UN report has just confirmed the alarming figure.

Chairperson of Action Aganst Corruption,  Moses Mkandawire said this on Tuesday when the organization met parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee and Public Appointments Committee.

“Out of the 30 per cent, K600 billion is lost in councils through corruption every year,” said Mkandawire.

He said this corruption at alarming rate is happening in all the sectors of government and the private sector.

Chairperson of Legal Affairs Committee Kezi Msukwa said there was need to look into the legal framework to sort out the issue.

Msukwa said the money lost through corruption could have been used for development or other pressing poverty reduction areas.