President Chakwera Directs Activation of Open Government Partnership
By Yamikani Yapuwa
Blantyre, July 25, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has directed Secretary to President and Cabinet to initiate the process of reactivating Malawi’s membership to Open Government Partnership (OGP) which aims at raising level of accountability in government.
Chakwera disclosed this on Monday in Blantyre where he hosted National Anti-Corruption Conference adding that the OGP enables using international tools and standards prevention of corruption from taking place rather than waiting for punishment and prosecution after the damage has already been done.
“Malawi’s membership in the Open Government Partnership became inactive under the previous administration, and we will soon have a roadmap to see it reactivated by the end of this year.
“This is in recognition of the fact that we need the support of the international community in our quest for good governance, because so much of the plunder against our nation involves international transactions and the externalization of our resources,” said Chakwera.
Chakwera said Malawi have had its taxes externalized to the United Kingdom through procurement fraud, gold externalized to the United Arab Emirates and China through export fraud as well as precious rubies externalized to the United States through mining fraud.
“This kind of plunder of our country is no longer going to be tolerated from anybody from any country and where we find evidence of our to resources being externalized illegally to another country, we are going to demand those resources be returned to us.
“These are not the old days where the scramble for Africa was an acceptable crime. We won’t accept corruption and illicit theft of our resources in any form, because our stance against corruption applies across the board,” said Chakwera.
In his inspiration speech, Professor Patrick Lumumba challenged stakeholders assembled to ask uncomfortable questions yet necessary questions as the country proceed to fight corruption in regards to what needs to be done.
Professor Lumumba said Malawi has political will in the fight against corruption which is rare in many African countries.
“You are doing a good thing but within your own house there are people who during the day will tell you are doing good thing but cursing at night.
“They are cursing you because you have taken food from their mouth. And when you take food from people’s mouth, they are very bitter.
“But you chose to be the president and people chose you, you made your bed so lie on it. So, lie on it firmly because history will judge you fairly if you continue on this course,” said Lumumba.
The conference which runs from 25th to 26th July is being held under the theme ‘Resetting the Nation’s moral tone’ and has attracted delegates from the Judiciary, Academia, Traditional Leaders, Religious Leaders, Civil Society and the Development partners among others.
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