Quarterly Bulletin

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers,

How many times do we hear that: corruption is a sin and has drastic evil effects on the people especially the poor, or those involved in corruption are robbing our nation of scarce national resources, or read in the Bible the command “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), and yet those entrusted with public authority abuse it and use public funds to their advantage? The “evil” effects of corruption on all dimensions in society, though difficult to measure precisely such as erosion of citizens’ confidence and trust in public institutions, are well-known.

Corruption is a serious global problem. Notably, then, the fight against it is inevitably universal as it is intertwined with the promotion and enhancement of good governance anchored on accountability, transparency and integrity. In Zambia, this fight has attracted the participation of diverse groups of people as society wakes up to the fact that the anti-corruption struggle is not for the government alone but all citizens.

Indeed, fighting corruption is more than a political issue, thus attracting political solutions to the problem. It is more a community problem and requiring community-oriented solutions. The fight against corruption cannot be successful if it is left to politicians to settle alone. There must be a realisation that since the source of corruption is within the community the solution to eliminating this scourge lays in community.

No one individual citizen or political party should claim to be the sole champion in the fight (as if it were their creation and problem), but all citizens and including political parties must be seen to fight it beginning with its membership. The success of eliminating corruption lays in a moral change. It requires people’s change of attitude, belief in bribes as norm in accessing public services on one hand and change of public officials’ attitude and perception of demanding or expecting something from those their provide with public service on the other hand.

But should the fight against corruption be viewed in line with those who are answering criminal charges in courts of law? Or should we be fighting to eliminate it among us in our society? Such an endeavour would demand that efforts intended to fight corruption are not only concentrated in establishing institutions and/or strengthening institutional capacities, but also investing in efforts meant to eliminate corruption including civic education.

Certainly, citizens needs to know the procedures, recommended fees and required documents for acquiring public services. Ignorance of these procedures makes most people vulnerable for some public officials and middle-men or middle-women to take advantage of them when accessing public services and goods. Of course, there should be acknowledgement also that some of the procedures for acquiring public services and goods are confusing, time consuming and costly making many people susceptible to corrupt practices hence the urgency to deal with institutional and administrative arrangements. This however must not be the only avenue in fighting corruption.

We hope that the articles published in this issue will stimulate greater interest in the issue of corruption among civic activists and citizens as a whole in, for example, addressing the three “misses”, misapplication, misuse and misappropriation of public funds and resources. No doubt, corruption in Zambian is a serious problem that requires strong political will not only to reduce it to manageable levels but to eliminate it in society. It is important that collective efforts in fighting corruption are encouraged because this is the only way an effective and integrated struggle against corruption can be waged.

Christians, everywhere, have a responsibility to promote a society where there is transparency, accountability and honesty. That is, to avoid corruption at all costs and condemn it whenever they see it. As Christian leaders in Zambia have often urged in Christian Commitment of Liberation, Justice and Development (1987), “The follower of Christ must therefore take the necessary steps to disassociate themselves from the many unfair, unjust and corrupt practices, which are rampant in our society today” (#72).

Every one of us is personally  called upon to continually examine our attitudes and actions to corruption, and to demonstrate that determination to live rightly on personal, family and community levels. Recall that those who pay bribes facilitate and perpetuate an already dysfunctional system! Are we ready to live up to our responsibilities as good citizens and authentic Christians?  

Simson Mwale
Editor