The vicious trend to denude the Zambian government of public funds continues unabated like a whirlwind. What makes it hard to fight the scourge is the mere fact that the same people mandated to ensure efficient collection of taxes and its management are neck-deep in the plunder. At worst the plunder is meaningless and has serious and negative implications to the economy and much worse for the poor.
The challenges facing Zambia are astronomical. What makes it obnoxious is the sheer knowledge that the civil servants, taxmen, some men of law, the police and some in the political leadership are caught up in the vice. Having said that, the question that comes to mind is "Just who can be trusted to fight the fight against corruption and plunder of public funds without getting their fingers soiled? Are there any trustworthy civil servants (or call them corrupt sevants) left in Zambia?
We have stated before that the Task Force against corruption and plunder must be given more sharpened teeth through the enactment of tough laws and enhance its capacity to extend and take the fight to all the minitries, the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), Zambia Passports and Citizenship Department, Bank of Zambia, etc. We believe that the worst of the financial scandals concerning misappropriation and embezzlement of funds are yet to be uncovered.
The penalties intended to fight corruption must not be mere slap-on-wrist but tough enough to deter any one bent on corruption. It is important that the fight against corruption be fought relentlessly with "iron" laws and instruments. In addition, government must adopt zero-tolerance against corruption and be applicable equally across the whole spectrum of the Zambian fabric. Maybe Zambia will do well to relook at corruption and prescribe sharia law against corrupt Zambians regardless of their societal standing.
