Zambia starts reviewing graft law to stiffen punishment

LUSAKA, April 20 — Zambia has embarked on a process of reviewing its law on corruption to strengthen it and align it with the provisions of the constitution, the country’s anti-corruption agency said on Friday.
Timothy Moono, head of corporate communications at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said the review of the law was also expected to put in place stiffer penalties for corrupt practices to deter would-be offenders.
He told journalists at a press briefing on the agency’s activities during the first quarter of 2024 that the agency is also developing a bill on the declaration of assets by public officers.
“The bill will play a crucial role in enhancing the accountability of public officials and will facilitate the conduct of lifestyle audits,” he said.
According to him, people in public office who have been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the nation’s resources must be kept in check so that opportunities for misuse of public resources are reduced through accountability mechanisms.
He noted that the agency’s focus in the hrst quarter of 2024 was to strengthen anti-corruption measures and further improve corruption reporting mechanisms, which resulted in the launch of a new online anonymous reporting system.
According to him, the online anonymous whistleblower system is a landmark achievement and a major shift in the fight against corruption.
The spokesperson said the agency expects more reports from the public following the launch of the new reporting system, as some people were afraid to report for fear of being victimized by their superiors and employers.
“The introduction of this new corruption reporting system will also help create a culture of transparency and accountability in both public and private institutions as corrupt practices, maladministration, embezzlement, favoritism, and other corruption crimes will be exposed,” he added.