MCP slams DPP for letting Malawians down on corruption and governance

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has slammed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration for letting down Malawians when it comes to ending corruption and entrenching a culture of transparency and accountability in reaction to the latest Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) which has highlighted the country’s deteriorating governance trend.

MCP publicity secretary the Reverend Maurice Munthali said the report calls for visionary, corrupt free and servant leadership to turn things around.

“One would have expected a responsible government to do away with perpetual blackouts, improve education standards, including access to tertiary education, among other endeavours,” Munthali is quoted as saying.

“The MCP government will revive and improve education standards, generate and supply enough power for local consumption and for investors. We need a nation that can pride her of a tangible development agenda whose fruits will be enjoyed by all the citizenry and that above all, we should be ranked alongside big African economies.”

As part of its extended coverage, the leading daily newspaper, The Nation on Wednesday carried an editorial comment on the report titled ‘Save the country’s beloved democracy’.

In the comment, the paper highlighted that transparency and accountability, good governance and zero tolerance to corruption are “inalienable tenets of democracy.”

However, the paper accused the current DPP regime is facing widening cracks in governance and public finance management which the local media has constantly written about and vindicated in the assessment of Mo Ibrahim Foundation and the European Union envoy.

“Government has paid lip services to institutions and instruments that are crucial to improving both political and economic governance,” the paper said.

It pointed out that there has been a “systematic strangling” of the Anti Corruption Bureau whose funding in real terms has dwindled over  the past five years DPP has been in power.

The editorial comment further noted that the Financial Intelligence Authority is also still “hamstrung” while the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) lacks the political support it needs to effectively carry out its tasks.

It also stated that there is lack of urgency to enforce crucial legal and regulatory instruments such as the Access to Information (ATI) law, the new Public Audit Act, the reformed Public Procurement Act and even the Political Party funding laws.

The annual Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which is watched closely by the continent’s governments, also pointed to a deteriorating business climate and poor job creation.

The report ranks countries according to their development in an array of categories between 2008 and 2017.

The ranking is issued by a London foundation established in 2006 by Mo Ibrahim, a businessman from Sudan who sold his mobile phone company Celtel in 2006.

With a mission to promote good governance in Africa, it also periodically awards a $5-million prize to an African head of state who has left office and demonstrated good governance.

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