Availability of Anti-Corruption Mechanisms to Fight Corruption in Selected Public Institutions in Lusaka, Zambia.
- May 6, 2021
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue III, March 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186
Dorothy Mzumara*, Dr. Daniel Ndhlovu
University of Zambia, School of Education PO. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
Abstract: The study examined availability of anti-corruption mechanisms to fight corruption in selected public institutions in Lusaka, Zambia. The study was guided by one objective which was to assess adequacy of the available anti-corruption mechanisms to fight corruption in selected public institutions in Lusaka, Zambia. The research design that was used for the study was hermeneutic phenomenological research design. The sample size consisted of 14 participants while interview guide was used to collect data which was analysed thematically. The findings of the study showed that the available mechanisms were inadequate to fight corruption due to inconsistency in domestication of provisions of the Anti-Corruption Conventions and Protocols and delay in enacting Access to Information Bill. The findings further showed that lack of a Planning Section in the anti-corruption commission’s structure to identify donor institutions for additional funding and lack of minimum mandatory sentence for corruption offences in the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012 make the anticorruption mechanisms Zambia has put in place inadequate to fight corruption in selected public institutions. The study recommends among others that progressive and consistency in domestication of the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, African Union Protocol on Preventing and Combatting Corruption and Southern Africa Development Community protocols into the Constitution of Zambia and Parliament to expedite enacting the Access to Information Bill.
Key Words: corruption, bribery, abuse of authority of office, public administration and Good Governance.
Introduction
As far as 2013, the fight against corruption existed in Zambia (Mzumara and Ndhlovu, 2021). The fight against corruption has continued to be a top priority at national, regional and international levels as evidenced from common agenda under the SADC Protocol against Corruption, the African Union Protocol on Preventing and Combating Corruption, the United Nations Convention against Corruption as well as other conventions on the subject. At the National level, Zambia has put in place the National Anti-Corruption Policy to fight corruption. However, incidences of corruption still occur.
Zambia recognizes the significance of fighting corruption in a holistic and integrated manner to improve public service delivery aimed at achieving good governance and public administrative advancement towards sustainable development of the country. Similarly, Sapkota and Mushimba (2018) observe that corruption remains a major problem in Zambia despite mechanisms such as existence of several anti-corruption watchdogs and rigorous changes in the law to curb the vice.
