Theme: Corruption: Whistle Blowing is Risky

The Zambian law offers no protection to the so-called whistle blowers, which makes it very difficult to convince people to report cases of corruption. However, that should not prevent any organisation from developing guidelines on how to tackle corruption.

By Manja Kamwi Information Officer MS-Zambia

People who are witnessing corruption at their working places are often caught up in a conflict between reporting the crime and the fear of being harassed if the suspect is later acquitted.

“At the moment some people are afraid of reporting corruption because under the current anti corruption Act there is no section which guarantees their protection,” says Goodwell Lungu, Director of Transparency International Zambia.

“We have seen a lot of cases of suspected corruption been brought to court but thereafter dismissed due to lack of evidence. It is not a nice situation for a junior who for example has reported his senior for corruption and then later if the case is acquitted has to work under the very same person.”

However TI Zambia is lobbying the Zambian Parliament to adopt measures, which provides protection for whistle blowers, people who report corruption – and it seems those measure might be put in place very soon, according to Goodwell Lungu.

Lungu encourages all institutions, working places and even the smallest NGOs and organisations like MS-Zambia to develop guidelines or a code of conduct which clearly outlines how individuals and the institution itself should handle any suspicion of corruption.

“It is very helpful for an organisation to have procedures like that written down. E.g. how to report and to whom, what are the consequences and how will the working place handle a suspected case of corruption,” says Mr. Lungu.