Malawi has slipped further backwards on corruption fight, Transparency International report says
Malawi has once again scored poorly on the fight against corruption and bribery with latest studies showing the country has slipped from 120 to 123 on the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The 2019 CPI, which is conducted by Transparency International, reveals that a majority of countries, including Malawi, are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption.
The index ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
More than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on the 2019 CPI, with an average score of just 43.
The report says similar to previous years, the data shows that despite some progress, a majority of countries are still failing to tackle public sector corruption effectively.
African Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC)-hosted Integrity Platform coordinator, Jeff Kabondo, who presented the CPI report in Lilongwe on Thursday, said Malawi is stuck in corruption such that it would require authorities to rise above petty political rhetoric on corruption fight.
“Generally, Malawi hasn’t performed well. We seem to be stuck. Last year, the country scored 31; this year we have scored 32. On the global ranking, Transparency International has ranked us 123, which means the global perception on our corruption fight is getting worse and worse,” said Kabondo.
He said some of the issues considered when ranking a country are electoral integrity, political financing, political campaign based on misinforming the voters and nepotism in the public service.
Kabondo therefore emphasised the need for Malawi to create robust systems of political financing, electoral integrity, transparency and accountability if the country is to improve its global perception on corruption.
He said keeping big money out of politics is essential to ensuring political decision-making serves the public interest and curbing opportunities for corrupt deals.
“Countries that perform well on the CPI have strong enforcement of campaign finance regulations,” said Kabondo.
AICC chief executive officer Dr Felix Lombe said it is sad that Malawi continues to slip deep into corruption trap.
Lombe appealed to authorities to seriously consider tackling the vice to avoid chasing potential investors.
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Corruption will end if the president stop surpporting corrupt officials and himself should stop receiving corrupt money in name of donations.The country is rotten ,every government department is rotten. If president believe in corruption what will happen to the officials.The president is weak on the fight against corruption. Why? He is benefiting alot out of that.
Investors also shun very corrupt countries like Malawi. So, as APM courts investors, he should know that corruption, like poor infrastructure and power failures, is an investor enemy.
Hundred percent correct
This Malawi is the best place on earth. Very easy to make money and enjoy your life. If you cannot farm, then join the police and the judiciary. You get rich fast. You want more, then join MRA. You still want more, make friends with the president!
Well put fellow malawian
this is what happens when you elect clowns in office, Malawi is a circus not a country.
Its worse now!
This is very true and Peter Mutharika is at the helm of it all. He has spent Billions of Malawi Kwacha to funding his cadets to unleash terror on the opposition and HRDC. He has been trying bribe the judges presiding over the Election case so that he remains in power through the back door to continue to loot and loot. Unfortunately, his friends lied to him by collecting the money purpotely for the bribe only to fatten their personal bank accounts, the likes of Brown Mpinganjira. He is an illegal president and he knows it himself as he bought… Read more »
Munthu walemba iwe ah!
We deseve to be competing number one as the most corrupt nation on earth