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1997 was essentially the year in which the Bureau took off. It was
necessary for the Bureau as a new institution of good governance, to be established on a
solid foundation which will stand the test of time. It would not have helped to cut
corners for the sake of expediency.
It was necessary to err on the side of caution. In the meantime, the
Bureau is very pleased with the active support it is receiving from the people of Malawi,
especially the majority from rural communities who seem prepared all the time to come
forward, often in person, to lodge a complaint to the Bureau. We hail this as a victory
for the democratic spirit of the people, who are keen not just to talk about corruption,
but to do something about it; this is a small but important beginning.
The role of the Bureau is therefore to sustain this remarkable
enthusiasm by demonstrating its capacity to mount credible programmes in civic education
and corruption prevention, in the full knowledge that the Bureau has the ultimate tool
against all those who are found to have breached the law: thorough investigation, vigorous
prosecution, and a long prison sentence upon conviction.
With officers now discharging the functions which are set out in the
Corrupt Practices Act, 1998 is set to be the year in which the plans which have been
carefully laid down will be implemented, using officers who are properly oriented towards
corruption prevention, civic education, and investigations and prosecutions.
However, the responsibility for fighting corruption cannot be left to
the Anti-Corruption Bureau alone. Corrupt practices always have a destabilizing effect not
only on the economy but directly on individual lives. No one is immune from these effects
and if left unchecked corruption will, like cancer, spread throughout the length and
breadth of Malawi. Everyone from all walks of life therefore needs to take a firm stand
against corruption. Controlling it calls for all-party support. Members of Parliament and
people of all political and social persuasion must see the fight against corruption as a
national issue requiring broad support from all sectors of the community. It is in this
way that the lives of all the people of Malawi can be made better.
THE ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU
P.O. BOX 2437
LILONGWE
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