Though the Zambian government has declared zero tolerance on corruption, petty corruption is still high, results of study conducted by anti corruption watchdog Transparency International have shown.
The survey, conducted by Transparency International- Zambia (TI-Z), has shown that though grand corruption was down, petty corruption was still high.
The Bribe Payers’ index showed that instances of public officials soliciting for bribes have continued to be a source of grave concern.
The survey showed that bribe taking increased by a total of 58.5 percent in the business sector and 38.5 percent in the public service.
Most of the people interviewed said they paid bribes to the police service, road traffic department, the revenue collection body, the local councils and passport offices to get a service.
About 36 percent of the people interviewed said refusal to pay a bribe resulted in denied service while 52 percent said it resulted in unnecessarily delayed service.
Furthermore, about 56.3 percent of the people talked to said the current government was not committed in fighting corruption compared to 43.7 percent who felt that the government was committed.
“By and large, the current government’s performance in fighting corruption was poorly rated though some improvements in handling complaints were also noted by respondents,” TI-Z Board Member Kavwanga Yambayamba said at the launch of the report.
TI-Z has since urged the Zambian government to undertake a comprehensive anti corruption approach.
The survey, conducted last year in all the country’s nine provinces, involved 1, 948 respondents. The respondents included households, business owners and civil servants.
About 90 percent of the business respondents indicated that corruption levels in the country were still severe while over 80 percent public workers indicated that the vice was still high.
Since coming into office in 2002, current President Levy Mwanawasa has embarked on a crackdown on corruption.
[Xinhua]
There is need for a very effective strategy to combat this petty corruption!. Thats why we should pray for Levy to get well soon. We do nood another monkey in a maize field.
Ubu’gno muleke ba buju mwaunfwa? when those petty coruption are added up together they can mount into a sizable chunk of Cash.. Ka! Nichekeleko nichekeleko has no justification at all.bagwileni abo.
Off the subject, Is it true that the provision of allowing returning residents 1 or is it 2 cars is about to be scraped ?
Corruption and tribalism is in many forms. Police officers at the roadblcks, ZRA and other institutions throgh tax. LPM appointment of family tree members and sposorship abroad at the expense of intelligent Zedians who have no relatves. The whole system stinks like a toilet. No one has the capacity to put the lead on top. The fight is done selectively because those who are innocent now are the culprits of tomorrow. The fire has been ignited and it is burning. Please Tighten your belt. All corrupt elements should prepare for hard times. May God bless you “ba Kelenka.”
njala…
#3 I will be sad if that happens because am planning on returning to my motherland for good.I doubt if they will scrap that good gesture because the President personally advised that it’s done that way to ensure that Zambians go back home after studies and working abroad,many people have returned but maybe it could be scrapped if the good gesture is being abused by car dealers.
Back to corruption,i think the current government has really tried,it’s up to us the people to make sure it goes or reduces drastically but in these times it’s really difficult but we will get there,nowadays it’s difficult for one to have guts to approach an officer with a bribe!
ZRA should not target Zambians living abroad to punish them as if it is a crime to work elsewhere.Most Zambians contribute a lot to the economy as they bring about some investiments and hard currency to the country.This should be encouranged rather than punished.Why would they scrap allowance for someone to bring one car from abroad.After all there not even so manyb Zambians living abroad compared to other countries.We need to be fair to our fellow zambians
Its sad to note that people are so worried about petty corruption, thats nothing compared to the big government leaders who every day award themselves with big government contracts and the goverment of his excellence that promised no corruption has been seen for the past 7 years engaged in these activities.I dont think stoping a policema from getting a ka 10pin bride can be compared to what Hon Katele,Chungu and the rest did, What makes a cop not to fear is because he is seeing his boss corrupt
#8 if you dont kill a snake when it is still small you wont manage to kill it when it grows.
#9, you are right,kill a snake while it is small but we kill its mother dad too so that it does not exist no more, for too long we have let big snakes like Katele and the rest thrive,our children will blame us
Most comments seem to focus on corruption with respect to monetary gain. In the Zambian context ( or rather public office), corruption may be taken to mean the improper use of power and influence attached to a public office. This means using one’s position to influence the employment process or sponsorship of community projects. There are many examples in the current government of nepotism – which has lead to a debasement of moral integrity and if not outright economic gain. You can put people in jail for taking a back-hander but there are more pernicious forms of corruption than just money. Just Pharasaic utterings from zedian govt.
“The survey showed that bribe taking increased by a total of 58.5 percent in the business sector and 38.5 percent in the public service.”
These statistics are worrying.
Please introduce a school curriculum to impart good moral values in school going children from Grade one to Twelve. Once every Zambian who passes through our education schooling system gets to Grade 12, they will have learnt how to conduct themselves and most importantly refuse to take part in corrupt activities.
Ichalo chesu bwafya
I wish Chiluba had started this fight against corruption because LPM should have eradicated it. Anyway, these statistics are not good at all. # 12 You are very right may be it should start from Kindergarden.
but still we should get lead of this so called big snekes what are they doing in goverment.
#12,do agree with you,corruption is a great disturbance to any ecconomical or developmental thoughts a Gov´t would have.We need new faces in por political arena,people who will bring a drastic change pa Zed.
Petty corruption? Corruption is corruption whether petty or grand one.
I shot the sheriff but i didnt shoot the deputy,,,,,mmmmmh hmm hmmmmmmmmmmm.
LMP could have not eradicated corruption because he is been in as well.There many relatives of his who are getting free money in zambian missions abroad and people are busy praising him.So people if you are blaming police officers about nichekeleko thats just an slice of the huge corruption. It has to start from the top. The people who are doing these petty corruption know there is serious corruption going on around them so they are just joining the band wagon.
It will take time to eradicate this sick culture.As long as there is a political will we will get it right. We have to clean the top and this cascades to the grass roots. Corruption is a culture problem, but I have hope as long Levy’s legacy carries on.Aonther, factor is the service people get from GRZ.If we reach a time when our GRZ can offer their service effectively and efficiently, why should someone pay for it.It will just change the ways of thinking, doing business, etc.Lets continue with this fight, corruption destroys a nation.
Ka Chiluba started this dirty game in 1992,if he is arrested it will stop
21 there was corruption in kks days as well but not on the scale we have come to know in chiluba and mwanawasa administration. Don’t be selective waumfwa. This is the reason we are struggling to eradicate this vice. Any sane person knows corruption has been around before chilubas time. Chiluba is paying for not being true to his word. period.
Too many petty robbers too. Dem thief people clothes from off line and tink seh dem bad. A weh dem a go do when de real bad man a come?
Corruption, tribalism, and nepotism was a Lozi, Tonga thing. Chiluba is just one way to hide your foolish misdeeds. Tonga’s and Lozi’s thot State Insurance, NPF and other government sectors has theirs. A reversal of such behavior angered some hence the hounding of Chiluba with cases that they have failed to find even a ten ngwee. When will you accept that Chiluba saved Zambia from extinction? You lined up for salt, suger, ubunga, sopo, and black market was the means of trade. Chiluba turned that country around in less than one yr. Just learn to appreciate. Only some ppl could afford to go abroad until Chiluba came on the scene. Don’t you know that tribalism & Nepotism is WORST CORRUPTION?
We all want corruption to be eradicated but how can you do that when wages of public servants is peanuts.
Ba buju is also not payed well. these people have to survive and what other means can they do that. improve wages and may be things can change.
Teachers and nurses also need wage increase to afford living so if the government is combating petty corruption and ignore the living conditions of citizens then forget about fighting corruption.
#24 No tribalism in this case,if you want how many Tonga’s and lozi’s that are being charged or tried for stealing public money or corruption? give me the figures? i thought you are grown up
Yes I am grown up but at the same time I will not bury my head in the Lozi Sand like you want me to. You should know what is worse, stealing or tribalism? How many ppl died in Rwanda, Congo, Kosovo,because of tribes? How many can you count have died because of theft? You are such a TONGA. HATERS and very uncoofed. You guys have destroyed the true fabric of Zambia. Look at HH, how did he get the Mazoka Party if not thru tribe? Who are the other fools who wanted to break away from Zambia and start a tribal country? Lozis. I am not afraid to tell the truth until you fools quit your nonsense. If it was your tribed being treated they way Northerners and Luapula ppl are treated you’ll cry everyday