CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has challenged Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) to provide evidence that police officers are in the habit of getting bribes from the public.
Reacting to TIZ’s survey that ranked the Zambia Police Service as the most corrupt public institution in Zambia, Gen Shikapwasha said what the non-Governmental organisation was saying was a mere perception which should not be taken seriously by the people.
Gen Shikapwasha said that even late president Levy Mwanawasa told TIZ that they were in a habit of working on perceptions as opposed to providing evidence.
He reiterated Government’s resolve to rid the country of corruption.
Yesterday, TIZ released a report that ranked the Zambia Police Service as the most corrupt, topping the list of public institutions that receive bribes from members of the public.
[pullquote]“The top five public institutions whose officers were demanding the largest bribes are the Zambia Police, at 32.5 per cent, judiciary at 10.5 per cent, ZRA at 6.8 per cent, Ministry of Education at 6.7 per cent and Department of National Registration at 6.3 per cent,” Mr Lifuka said. [/pullquote]
The police service has for the last five years been ranked number one as the most corrupt public institution in the country.
Speaking during the launch of the 2009 Bribe Payers Index in Lusaka yesterday, TIZ president Reuben Lifuka said the top five public institutions whose officers were demanding bribes were the Zambia Police Service, judiciary, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), Ministry of Education and the Department of National Registration.
“The top five public institutions whose officers were demanding the largest bribes are the Zambia Police, at 32.5 per cent, judiciary at 10.5 per cent, ZRA at 6.8 per cent, Ministry of Education at 6.7 per cent and Department of National Registration at 6.3 per cent,” Mr Lifuka said.
The bribe demands ranged from K101,000 to K500,000.
He said bribes were most prevalent among junior officers in the cited public institutions.
Mr Lifuka said in the 2009 bribe index, 16 Government institutions were analysed while 1,220 respondents were engaged in the survey.
With regard to the Government’s fight against corruption, he said the respondents were asked to state their perception of the current administration in comparison to second Republican president Frederick Chiluba’s and Dr Mwanawasa’s regimes.
Fouty-four per cent indicated that President Rupiah Banda was more serious, 25 per cent said he was less serious, and 31 per cent said that they were just the same.
“Compared to Levy Mwanawasa, 74 per cent of the respondents said Rupiah Banda was less serious while only 16 per cent said he was more serious,” Mr Lifuka said.
He said TIZ would support efforts to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Act to enhance the fight against corruption.
This is a very known issue and it is very true mr useless minister that police get demand for money from the public even the IG himself
Shikapwasha you are so busy protecting your governments bigger corruption you don’t even know your people are corrupt? Maybe coz you are always in the air with AlaBee. Wake up boss from your deep slumber for the PACT is around the corner and your day of reckoning is nigh.
This man keeps on hallucinating. I wonder which title came first, Reverend and then went to pick up arms to become a General or vice versa?
:o
Iwe chi Shikapwasha.What TIZ is saying is more than true.Why sunvela kansi.Chimpuno kukula!
#1 london makandi yobe chi illegal ku london you will be flushed out just continue washing train coaches and dishes mu restraunt. you dont know that tiz and lifuka mapuli.
Shikapwasha is always asleep,he is the only Zambian who doesnt know that the Police Officers especially Traffic Officers are the worst corrupt officialls,
Is this man normal? on which planet does he live? even a 2 year old know policemen always ask for nchekelako. Zoona ba Reverand cisoso aba
Number 5 why should you insult me i can not be deported back to Zambia i’m British my friend and i do not do dishes i’m a medical doctor sorry if you are a loser, if you want i can give you my real name here nothing to hid mate it is not my making that you are a poor man just work hard may be you will have a better life like mine.
I live in Zed. I don’t even need TIZ to tell me, I know.
I know ZP people are corrupt because every other week there is a road block from where I live and I see the corruption every time.
I know because almost every time I have had a car issue, a corrupt police has asked me for a bribe.
I know RTSA is corrupt because there are guys who guarantee that they can get a license in one day if I pay them ZMK 2M.
I’m a Zambian living in Zambia and I know that TIZ report is correct.
No police man in zambia can feed his family and dependants the whole month using the salary peanut they receive. It is the everyday bribes on the road and anywhere that is feeding them. This is common knowledge, unfortunately not so common to Shikapwasha.
when police impound your vehicle, you drive to the side of the road and one officer asks you how much money you have in your pocket. “uli nazingati?” iyayi bwana K50 pin chabe!. ” wenzofunika kulipila K200 pin, manje ok tizakupasa mulandu winangu, tipase yamene iyo”. You give him and off you drive.
Last Friday, I was rushing to Kitwe’s Standard Chartered Bank and passed the HE robots in amber. Unlikely I was spotted by a ZP officer who stopped me. I explained to him that I had to cash a cheque and he agreed to wait for me as I went in the bank. We went to the station after I had done my business. At the station he told me to pay K270,000 admission of guilty to which I told him that I didnt have that amount. The he asked me how much I could afford, I told him K50,000 to which he said the amount was too little as he had to give something to the BOSS. So I gave him K100,000 and we parted as friends. Now Shikapwasha if this is not corruption, tell me what it is.To get Drivers licence you have to see some agent who gets a commission, so Rev where do you live not to know all these.
Police men have the most expensive cell phones, sterios, plasma tv sets etc, so Shikapwasha how do you think these guys are managing? No wonder you want to doctor the ACC Act so that it will be free for all.
# 1 AND # 8 WHAT BETTER LIFE WHEN YOU ARE A REFUGEE. NO PLACE IS BETTER THAN HOME. i HAVE BEEN TO ENGLAND DONKEY TIMES AND I KNOW HOW YOU GUYS CRACK YOUR ARSES JUST TO MANAGE TO PAY BILLS. YOU CANT EVEN BUILD A HOUSE FROM YOUR SMALL INCOME. ANYWAYS MAYBE YOU CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU GET BUT ITS PEANUTS FOR SURE. YOU WORK DAY IN DAY OUT CANT EVEN AFFORD TO GO ON LEAVE. HAVE A LIFE BA LONDON COME BACK HOME NOW LUSAKA HAS EVERYTHING YOU WOULD CRAVE FOR BUT JUST YOUR POCKET WILL FAIL YOU
#5, 3 CAFU. I thought we are talking about ZP corruption? Are you guilty? Unless you are a constable, you wouldnt be insulting innocent tax payers who only showing their concern for their country. Debate the subject at hand.
Cafu, I don’t really see your point in attacking someone just because of their country of residence. This is a free world. If you prefer to be in Zambia, that is fine. You’re just like me but I have children & friends who have decided to live elsewhere. I respect their choice. Just because I prefer to be in Zambia, why should I harass them to do the same? Should everybody be campaigning for others to join them wherever they are?
Shikapwasha is a hypocrit, you can imagine the president being surrounded by such people. Corruption in the Police is public knowledge. I had a case I was pursuing for 1 year the police were getting money from both the complainant and the defendant, I spent more money than I was trying to recover. Some money I recieved through the police was shared by in-charge, arresting officer and the Boss. So Shikapwasha just shut up don’t pretend like you don’t know anything.
Shikapwasha is an ignorant & scared General. That’s why he hid in Munali Hills during the time of captian solo uprising – drunken officers joke to take over power from Chiluba. The Police whether you have been assulted, the want to eat from the assulted and the aggressor in the name of cheating both people that they are helping them individually.
The traffic section is worse , thats why officers cry when removed from traffic section. We all know these things bane.
Just drive on the kitwe highway and let those police who man the speed trap, catch you and see what they will say! they dont fear who they are asking for a bribe from.
Ok. Am just defending my job. You know after retiring this can be rough in Zambia. So would not want to retire so again. I know all of you are condemming me, but understand for once that i went thru hell after retirng from the army. I tried my church but the returns where not good. What am doing is very rewarding now financially. I want to continue till i die.
#1 london its a shame shame you claiming to be a antional of a foreign country. pliz be a proud zambian even as you toil in the diaspora. to claim you are briton with your heavy accent is sorry. i lived in london for some time and never did I attempt to apply for citizenship bcos I knew the most beautiful country in the world is Zambia. I couldnt be corrupted by the pound and now here Iam in zed enjoying fresh air ubwali na simba milling nakasabi aka ku mongu kanunkila na tbone yaku mwanamayinda or chongwe iyamafuta ya real not GMO
#11 ni na nzeru, I have even been asked 800 pin by a drunk police officer waiting by trafic lights for minor violation. 800 pin oro “ku container” corrupt fat drunk cops
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Zambia the real africa
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Dont cheat yourselves. Become politicians and you will understand us.
This is evidence that politicians have no shame lying to us and can defend corruption to the bone. Publicly embarrassing your self denying well know rotten practices by the police is very shameful.From now on shikapwasha i will know that you are not truthful and you are very detached from issues on the ground. Better keep quiet and consult more than commenting on things you have not enough facts about. am disappointed!
#21 Cafu
So what about T bone yamafuta? while others are trying to avoid amafuta you doing the opposite. You’re just exposing your poverty and frustration . I suppose your day starts with a question ‘what am i going to eat today?’. The topic is about corruption and not Tbone you numpty.
Any more comments? Please comment to give us check and balances. Without your comments and criticism, you may work up one day only to find the whole treasury gone – corruption.