Media crucial to fighting corruption – ACC

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says the media in Zambia are a crucial apparatus in exposing corruption cases and play a role of being a watchdog of society.

Commission Assistant Director of Public Education Rabecca Mulengwa says media personnel are better placed as they are trained and have got quality skills to effectively highlight stories on corruption.

Ms Mulengwa challenged Journalists in Zambia to take action and transform the mindset of people in the country.

Ms Mulengwa said this in Livingstone today when she opened a three-day media workshop for Southern Province based journalists.

“The media is the link between the citizenry and the public institutions because media is the platform through which the citizenry can demand accountability and transparency through good governance,” she said.

Ms Mulengwa said that investigative bodies such as the ACC would have difficulty to, without collaboration with the media, successfully unravel corrupt people in the nation.

She said the Commission will continue to share information with the media in raising awareness to the people by writing stories on corrupt people and practices.

The ACC official emphasized that fighting corruption requires a multifaceted approach, education and awareness raising on conduct that constitutes corruption, as well as on the measures that can be implemented to prevent graft.

“Corruption is a menace that requires stakeholder participation. It’s a shared responsibility and we must all join hands if we’re to succeed in our quest to curb and root out this menace,” she said.

On collaboration, the Assistant Director Public Education said it is in this regard that the Commission has partnered with the media by training them in investigative journalism.

“Investigative journalism remains a critical apparatus in flagging incidences of corruption in both public and private institutions, and its negative consequences on the economy, resources and the people,” she said.

Ms Mulengwa stated that co-operation between ACC and the media can go a long way to expedite successful conclusion of matters of corruption in the country.

And Provincial Information Officer for Southern Province Priscilla Simukoko challenged the Commission to consider sponsoring Journalists on corruption issues.

Ms Simukoko noted that very few cases are followed to the latter.

“I appeal to the Commission to start sponsoring Journalists in Zambia on corruption reporting. You may agree with me that very few corruption cases are followed to a logical conclusion,” Ms Simukoko said.

She said Journalists need skills to effectively write stories surrounding graft in the country.