* Is the current generation of public officials is beyond redemption when it comes to corrupt practices?
* Is a question that needs deep reflection on as a nation, as it will shape both the narrative and the strategy in the ongoing battle against corruption
By Laison Kamkole
In a stirring address today at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC)in Lilongwe, President Lazarus Chakwera opened the Anti-Corruption Symposium with a call for reflection on the state of corruption in Malawi.
Advertisement
The symposium, marking the Silver Anniversary of the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), has gathered anti-corruption champions from across the continent to discuss strategies and challenges in the fight against corruption.
President Chakwera began by referencing a provocative question posed earlier in the week by Joab Chakhaza, the moderator of a panel discussion at the symposium, on whether the current generation of public officials is beyond redemption when it comes to corrupt practices.
Chakwera stressed the importance of deeply reflecting on this question as a nation, as it will shape both the narrative and the strategy in the ongoing battle against corruption.
“I believe that as we mark the Silver Anniversary of the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, this is an important question for us to deeply reflect on as a nation.
“I believe that whatever our answer is to this question is going to shape not only the narrative we advance about the state of the war against corruption in this country, but also the strategy we employ in waging that war.”
Advertisement
Chakwera highlighted two possible answers to the question — responses fueled by frustration and either despair or hope and acknowledged that frustration with corruption could lead to despair, manifested in the form of generalization, which is a tendency to assume that all individuals associated with corruption are irredeemable is a premature judgment that overlooks the need for a comprehensive examination.
Drawing inspiration from biblical stories, particularly the tale of Prophet Elijah, President Chakwera shared insights on the dangers of allowing frustration with corruption to turn into despair.
He recounted Elijah’s mission in a corrupt land, emphasizing the prophet’s initial feelings of isolation, fear, and despair. However, the story took a turn when God provided a new perspective, revealing that there were still thousands of individuals with integrity, wisdom, and courage.
The President urged the audience to avoid succumbing to despair, emphasizing the need for a true perspective that generates hope in the people’s capacity for a corruption-free society. He encouraged a shift from a singular, despair-fueled perspective to a collective and hopeful one.
“There were at least 7,000 Israelites that were men and women of integrity, wisdom, and courage. And so on this Silver Anniversary marking 25 years of the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, we celebrate the progress we have made but we also recognize that the reason this room is full and the reason many Malawians are following this event is because there is a generation of thousands in every institution who are not corrupt and who are ready to take on the forces of corruption,” he said.
On the occasion of the ACB’s 25th anniversary, President Chakwera celebrated the progress made in the fight against corruption but also recognized the challenges that persist.
He highlighted the existence of a generation within every institution ready to combat corruption and stressed the importance of enlisting and empowering them.
Chakwera called for the turning of frustrations into hope, believing that victory against corruption is within reach and inevitable. He urged the continuation of the fight and the growth of anti-corruption forces by enlisting new fighters, echoing a message of unity and collective action in the battle against corruption.
Advertisement