* To educate voters to resist receiving handouts from politicians vying for various elective positions
* Also encouraged them to mobilise communities to attend political meetings held by various parties, that would enable them to make informed decisions
* Let the electorate refrain from receiving all forms of bribery and hand-outs which might have regretable consequences
By Alice Ndunya, MANA
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in partnership with the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust engaged anti-corruption champion leaders from districts in the Eastern and Southern regions on how to provide civic education on electoral laws ahead of the September 16 tripartite elections.
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Held at Machinga District Council yesterday, the two entities emphasised the importance of disseminating accurate information to discourage corruption during the electoral process — having noted that vibrant anti-corruption champions can help voters understand their rights and responsibilities in choosing responsible and development-oriented leaders.
ACB’s director of public education, Agness Mweta reminded the anti-corruption champions to understand their role in disseminating information on election-related corruption.
ACB Director of Public Education, Agness Mweta
She emphasised that they should educate voters to resist receiving handouts from politicians vying for various elective positions and also encouraged them to mobilise communities to attend political meetings held by various parties, that would enable them to make informed decisions.
“It is necessary for the electorate to attend political rallies so that they should be able to make informed decisions based on aspirants’ campaign agendas,” she said. “Let the electorate refrain from receiving all forms of bribery and hand-outs which might have regretable consequences.”
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Mweta added that there was need for the anti corruption champions to play a watchdog role in reporting all forms of electoral irregularities to ACB so that the bureau should not have problems in investigating cases relating to electoral corruption.
“As anti corruption champion leaders, always strive to encourage communities to report all forms of corrupt practices so that the law should take its course to curb the malpractice,” Mweta said.
Development Network for Youth Empowerment (DENEYE) Director, Sharid Ishmael, hailed the ACB and NICE Trust for engaging the anti corruption champions, saying the meeting provided opportunity for public discussions on various forms of corruption in the wake of electoral processes.
DENEYE Director Sharid Ishmael
“The meeting came at the right time to us the youths as Malawi is heading to the general elections,” he said. “We have been enlightened on issues to do with corruption and elections, this will help us to become sensitive on issues of corruption in our areas.”
Ishmael, however, mentioned that most anti corruption champions are often threatened in the course of being watch dogs: “We do receive threats in our community but we do not let this disrupt our duties — we will continue to report such issues to ACB for proper interventions,” he said.
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Machinga NICE Trust programmes officer, Francis Mugwa said there was need to address challenges which most anti corruption champions face when dealing with issues of handouts during campaign period.
“The issue of handouts and corruption is common bacause it has been the norms of both the electorate and politicians,” he said. “There is a need to change this norm.”
The anti-corruption champions leaders were drawn from youth clubs in Machinga, Mangochi, Balaka, Zomba, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Mulanje.
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