Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi says a good constitution which promotes decentralization is key to curbing corruption in the country.
Speaking to QFM News, Ms Nawakwi notes that the reason why there is too much corruption in the country is because powers centralized leading to the selective fight against corruption.
Ms Nawakwi says Zambians will continue to crying about corruption cases involving ministers and former ministers being pushed under the carpet by those in authority if a better constitution is not put in place.
Ms. Nawakwi says the majority Zambians still feel that institutions mandated to fight corruption lack autonomy and independence to conduct investigation.
The FDD leader stresses the need for those in authority to ensure that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption if the Zambian people are to have confidence and trust in their leaders.
Ms Nawakwi says the ruling PF will be following in the footsteps of the former regime if they do not allow the conclusive investigation of high ranking government officials suspected of corruption.
Zambians are genuinely nice and cheerful pipo. How do I know that? Well I have lived in Zambia and lived in the Zambian communities abroad, however, when it comes to their local politics, they are the most docile citizens I have ever met. They talk a lot about their national politics including the lasting peace they have enjoyed since independence but they complain about how horrible their Presidents have been. The latest one being the PF gvt that promised them the Holy land and have ended up giving them Zoly land. The parliamentarians voted to represent them are as mute as “ichifukufuku” except for one Mulusa. For example, the President would disappear out of the country for two weeks and no one will raise a finger. Is this how Zambians have decided to remain peaceful or they just…
I will agree will the lack of pro-activeness in Zambians. My experience is that we are slowly growing out of it. Notice the very polite way that Nawakwi states that the powers of the office of the president stink to high heaven.
If the president still appoints the police chiefs, judiciary chiefs and key figures in government, these people will invariably remain loyal to the appointing officer in the interests of putting bread on the family table. The new constitution should address this anomaly because such positions are public and the holders of the these offices should act in the public interest.
The only way to stop the vicious cycle of prosecuting every single president who leaves office is to clip the powers that office has to appoint PERIOD
But this woman was in Government before and she never talked about decentralisation.Lack of it must have caused the Carrington maize saga.
Depending on how looks at the issue of corruption. Unless corruption is rooted out at all levels and men and women begin to respect their country, its people and resources, decentralization of power may simply increase the levels of corruption since you have increased number of players. It is sad that even judiciary is labeled corrupt, who is spared of the curse then?
True
Yes, the too much centralisation is a cause of the so many ills in our governance system, corruption included. Transparancy is almost impossible when power is concentrated in the hands of a few – The President and his Ministres. These are the only people that are free and independent in Zambia. They just jumpded into the shoes of colonial offices, as local colonisers in black skins. True independence will only come to pass when power is devolved to the grass-roots: provinces, chief/kingdoms, ditricts, constituences, wards, areas, sections, villages/commmunities, families and to individual levels, as a way of true democratic dispensation. Otherwise, the Zambian leaders will continue colonising their people!
Centralization causes economic malaise and pure maladministration. A point in case is for the Finance Minister to be centrally criticizing administrative allowances while he takes a long trip to Western Province tagging along all sorts of allowances, opening a mere branch of a Bank, which can be done by either the local provincial minister, permanent secretary or even district commissioner without necessitating any allowances. It is the Leadership that have lots of unnecessary allowances they ought to consider giving up, besides their fat salaries and lucrative businesses/tuntembas on the side, but still monthly draw huge cellphone, electricity,water, education,domestic workers/guards allowances. A small hard-to-get allowance to a civil servant becomes breaking-news. The present Minister…
The main problem is a weak and corrupt judicial system. However strong the constitution is or power is decentralised in a land if there is no system to regulate, monitor and implement that there will always be all kinds of evil. Besides we are not proud to be Zambians.
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If you want to talk about decentralization, do it while you are in government not after you have left.