Mindset change key to fight graft
By JOHN KOMBE CORRUPTION has become a systemic evil which has become entrenched in our culture, an opposition leader has observed.
National Transformation founding president, Daniel Shimunza told the Daily Nation in an interview that, “corruption had now become part of our culture, but must not be a norm.
“To fight it, we need a change of mind set. Unless people in the public and private sectors embrace a change of mindset, we will always be singing the same song,” he said.
He said both the leaders and ordinary citizens must change alike adding that the vice could not be blamed on a single institution, although government had a bigger role in fighting the vice.
Government, he said, should take a transformative approach. He said what mattered was what change government would initiate rather than what transactions it would facilitate.
“Our founding fathers transacted and won us the independence, what we now need is actualisation of that transaction,” he said.
He observed that, the glaring revelations in the recent Auditor General's report were a clear indication of a deep-rooted culture that must be uprooted by an aggressive approach.
“Zero tolerance to corruption must be our anthem. How can we grow our economy if public funds are pocketed by a few selfish individuals?
He also said that leaders that had the habit of condemning the deeds of a government they were part of could not be trusted. If there corruption claims are anything to go by, then such people were equally corrupt.
“Name calling and character assassination is a sign of immaturity and retrogressive debate. Opposition parties and leaders must offer alternatives not insults and mere political rhetoric," he said.