TI-Z SAYS UPND’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA NOW AN AUXILIARY GOAL.

TI-Z SAYS UPND’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA NOW AN AUXILIARY GOAL.‎‎Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) says President Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration address was largely consistent with the UPND’s revised manifesto...

TI-Z SAYS UPND’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA NOW AN AUXILIARY GOAL.
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‎Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) says President Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration address was largely consistent with the UPND’s revised manifesto for 2026 to 2031.

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‎TI-Z Executive Director Maurice Nyambe says the President stated that the fight against corruption will be intensified and that public resources will be protected.
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‎“He also called upon public officials to put national interest before their own personal interests, stating that prioritizing national interest will also ensure that personal interest is taken care of,” Mr. Nyambe said.
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‎He says while TI-Z agrees with the President’s pronouncements, the context in which they are rooted must be considered.

‎He notes that in its pre-election analysis of the UPND manifesto, TI-Z observed that the anti-corruption agenda no longer appears to be a key priority, but rather an auxiliary goal.

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‎“Relating this to the President’s speech, it appears that the UPND is only interested in fighting corruption as a means to improving public service delivery, and there is no longer an ethical imperative to the fight,” he said.

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‎Mr. Nyambe adds that it is also concerning that the current manifesto no longer contains clear, measurable targets as was the case in the previous manifesto.

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‎He further says the President’s suggestion that prioritizing “national interest” will automatically take care of “personal interest” is an erroneous assumption.
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‎“There is usually a trade-off between maximizing national interests and personal interests. In many cases, doing what is right for the country will mean getting fewer personal benefits,” he stated.
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‎Mr. Nyambe has also noted that the inauguration speech did not address Zambia’s lack of key legislative and regulatory frameworks to keep personal interests in check.

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‎“The country still does not have a comprehensive declaration of assets, liabilities and interests legal framework, neither do we have one to regulate political party financing,” he said.
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‎By Michael Himusa Jnr