Government scores in fight against corruption

Mr Mweetwa says this is evident by the number of the large-scale cases of corruption being taken before the courts of law. The Minister notes that for the past four years, the country has witnessed a number of properties whose owners have failed to account for their sources of funding being forfeited to the state, including millions of dollars. Mr Mweetwa said this in Lusaka during a briefing on the recently released 2025 Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) which relates to public sector corruption in Zambia.

“We are talking about Zambia’s scoring in the Corruption Perception Index 2025 where TIZ has said the country is rated from 39 to 37 out 100, shy of the global average which is 42. This comes against the backdrop that in the last two years, Zambia has been recording an upward gain of positive steps in the fight against corruption,” he said. The Minister therefore, urged all citizens to detest corruption because it is a community disease that steals public resources away from the intended beneficiaries, into the private advantage of a few privileged who occupy public office.

He urged everyone to join in the fight stating that it should not be left to the government alone. “President Hakainde Hichilema is calling upon the citizens to know that corruption should be fought by all,” Mr Mweetwa added. He added that the law has not segregated anyone as it has visited even high-profile status citizens who have either been convicted or being acquitted, as acquittal is part of the crusade. Mr Mweetwa added that perception index might have also been informed in part by how the ZAMSA forensic audit was instituted and governments’ pronouncements on the abuse of the Constituency Development Funds.