President Banda to preside over Malawi Anti-Corruption Day in Mangochi
President Dr. Joyce Banda, who arrives in Malawi on Monday, February 4, 2013 after attending the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit in Ethiopia and the Global Development Summit in South Korea, will on Tuesday, February 5, preside over the commemoration of the National Anti-Corruption Day in Mangochi.
According to a news statement issued by the State House Press Office in Lilongwe, the event will start at 0900hours at the Old Airstrip Grounds at Mangochi Boma.
Queried why the President should proceed to Mangochi just a day after arriving in Lilongwe instead of taking a rest, Presidential Press Secretary, Steven Nhlane said it demonstrates Dr. Banda’s utmost commitment to the fight against graft in Malawi.
“You are aware that our ranking on the Transparency International corruption has not been quite impressive; we have for long been depicted as a country where corruption is too rampant.
“Her Excellency’s personal attendance at this event will be a display of the much needed political will at the highest level to fight this evil,” Nhlane told Nyasa Times in a telephone interview from Lilongwe.Nhlane observed that corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability. He said economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the “start-up costs” required because of corruption.
“As you may be aware, Her Excellency’s vision is to eradicate poverty through wealth and job creation for the people and that government is currently implementing the Economic Recovery Plan (ERP). All these cannot be realized with corruption rampant especially in the public service.” said Nhlane.
On October 31, 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties.
The Assembly also designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.
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