President Mutharika made the remarks during the National Anti-corruption Conference at the Bingu International Convention Centre-BICC in Lilongwe on Friday, April 28. President Mutharika said the ACB has been working independently since the DPP administration and is more effective than before.
“Then there is the perception that my Government is shielding corrupt Government officials or that it is pursuing selective justice. Let me remind everybody that if shielding officials was part of my Government’s policy, the ACB would not have been able to search the house of a Government Minister or arrest some Party officials.
Government does not dictate to the ACB the manner in which it executes its mandate. It is incumbent upon all of us to help the ACB do its work professionally. And we must therefore do all we can to help the ACB overcome the challenges that it is facing. My Government stands resolved and unshaken to fight corruption, and fight it all the way,” said President Mutharika.
During the conference, Professor Mutharika said the fight against corruption is not for one person but rather a collective responsibility. President Mutharika also commended stakeholders in the country for their efforts in the fight against corruption.
However, Professor Mutharika urged the stakeholders to stop creating the reality of corruption on political gains. He therefore said his government has put an extra gear in the fight against corruption.
“The reality of corruption is that it poses an enormous obstacle to economic and social development. It undermines growth and prosperity. It diverts resources meant for the public good. When you fight corruption, corruption fights back. One challenge with fighting corruption is that you fight people who have money. In fact, sometimes it is stolen money – money stolen from Government, money stolen from the people. They have the financial capacity of creating a perception that those who fight corruption are more corrupt than the most corrupt of them,” explained Mutharika.
Professor Mutharika said his government has put in place other measures including the reforms of laws related to corruption to eradicate the malpractice.
"As the ACB intensifies their preventive work, we shall provide them with capacity to carry out their prosecutions work where that is needed. Cases of corruption when properly handled and when appropriate sentences are given by the courts will have a deterrent effect.
Let us fight the reality of corruption. And let us stop creating a perception of corruption for the sake of politics. This new dialogue must not die. This fight must never die," he added.
The Theme of the Conference is “Corruption in Malawi: Reality or Perception”.
