CORRUPTION KILLS

Someone once described honesty as the glue that holds society together.  If a wife can trust that her husband is honest, there will be happiness in their family.  If the person who buys goods in a market believes that the marketeer is not cheating, then business will flourish.  If the students can really trust their teacher, then real education can go on.  If the voter in an election can have confidence that the candidate is sincere in all the promises being made, then politics will really benefit the people.

But when dishonesty becomes the way of life, the accepted way of acting, then society falls apart – in families, in business, in schools, in politics.  And that is indeed sad!

Almost ten years ago, our bishops from all around Africa met in Rome for the African Synod.  In the final document that came from the Synod, there is a remarkable statement: “Today in Africa, we need politicians who are holy people, who are saints!”  Isn’t that true in Zambia?  Don‘t  we really need political leaders who are known for their honesty, their dedication, their service? That would certainly make a difference in the way that things operate in our country, both at the national level and at the local level.

In the Gospel of this Third Sunday of Advent, we are challenged by John the Baptist to go about our daily work in an honest and generous way.  John does not ask for anything extraordinary.  He simply says that you should do the ordinary things you are supposed to do in the right way.  If you have more than your neighbours, share with them. If you work in an office, don’t cheat anyone.  If you have some special responsibility like a soldier or a police officer, treat people fairly.  We are exhorted to be honest and just in whatever we do.

In Zambia today we really do need to hear these words of John the Baptist.  The “nchekeleko culture” of corruption is a cancerous activity that is growing and is killing our community.  Sometimes we experience it in small ways – for example, being obliged to pay something extra from a civil servant who is supposed to give us some service in an office.  Sometimes we see it occur in big ways – for example, in the plunder of the national economy by people who were elected to serve us but instead took away the wealth of the people and caused great poverty and suffering in our country.

Corruption is another form of enslavement.  It defeats ordinary people in their efforts to have a better life and it abuses especially the poor.  It allows the rich and the powerful people to gain benefits that they don’t deserve, at the expense of the poor and the powerless.  Just visit a local village.  Is the property of the local government official fancy and abundant, while all the rest of the villagers are living in misery and poverty?  Then we know that something is very wrong indeed!

Corruption really hurts community spirit.  Remember the Bemba proverb: Uwikwite asontele ubwali ku kanwa.  The person who is already satisfied only points to the mouth – and doesn’t pay any attention to others who might be hungry!

Today we are always hearing a lot of fancy slogans such as “Zero tolerance of corruption,” “Corruption is a crime,” “Total fight against corruption,” and “Corruption is a sin”. Yes, Zambia is trying to overcome the curse of corruption, to put an end to the cancer of corruption.  We Christians must cooperate in fighting corruption.

In the first Scripture reading for this morning, the prophet Zephaniah assures us that God will forgive us and that we have nothing more to fear.  God will renew us with love for us and will bring us great joy.  In our African culture, we like to celebrate the visits of people to our villages.  And Zephaniah reminds us that the Lord is truly in our midst.  God isn’t simply a visitor, but one who stays right here with us. This Advent we do have reason to rejoice in Zambia!

God makes wonderful promises like this in order to encourage us to live lives of honesty and integrity, contributing to our own well-being and the well-being and development of the nation.  Indeed, he is encouraging us not to lose hope. St. Paul, in the second reading of today, from his letter to the Philippians, explains why God wants to fulfil his promises. God wants us to be happy, always happy in the Lord, always guarded by the peace of the Lord.

Being dishonest isn’t going to make me happy.  Maybe for a moment, I might feel good to have received something that I shouldn’t have received.  But in the future, I’ll feel sorry.  As the Chewa proverb says, Zokuba sizilemeletsa – things that are stolen will really never make you rich!

Living as we do in a “nchekeleko culture,” am I able as an individual to feel in the deepest core of my being that I am an honest person? If not, then let me resolve to make the best of this Advent season to renew my life.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a great gift for all of us. Do try to receive this sacrament in the days before Christmas.  And let us pray for each other and help each other to live lives that are free from corruption.

SKETCH

We can have two simple scenes exposing the problem of corruption. In the first scene we show a policeman who allows a defective car at roadblock to proceed after he has asked for and received “nchekeleko” (a bribe) from the driver. The second scene shows some women selling charcoal in broken/beaten tins so that they do not give the correct measurement for what is being paid for.  After each scene, observe a moment of sad silence.

Community Prayer

1.      God of justice, we ask you to pour out your Holy Spirit upon all us so that we can have the courage to act for justice today in Zambia.  Let us pray to the Lord, Lord hear us. 

2.      Creator God, we pray that those in public office, the powerful and the rich do not to use their status to harass or oppress the poor in our communities but to improve the lives of all of us.  Let us pray to the Lord, Lord hear us.

[Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, P.O. Box 37774, 10101 Lusaka, Zambia]