RTSA LAUNCHES ANTI CORRUPTION DRIVE

RAMPANT corruption involving RTSA officials has led to incompetent drivers and unroadworthy vehicles on public roads which has compromised safety of other road users.

RTSA ethics officer Manachonga Muchindu said there were currently many incompetent drivers on public road who had acquired driving licences through corruption.

“We are having incompetent drivers and unfit motor vehicles on the public roads which are compromising the road safety of other road users due to corruption involving our officers” said Mr Munachoonga

Mr Muchindu said most areas prone to corruption include driver’s licences acquisition and motor vehicles fitness, among others.

Mr Muchindu was speaking on popular Millennium Radio show dubbed Road Safety Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile Mr urged motorists to ensure they were issued with a receipt whenever they pay for various fines on the road.

He said motorists also promote corruption on the roads whenever they made any payment without demanding for a receipt.

He said motorists should make it a habit to ensure that whatever payment they made no matter how small was accompanied with a receipt.

And Zambia Police senior superintendent for road safety awareness Traffic section Yorum Phiri said the police command was putting in necessary measures to stop corruption.

Mr Phiri said traffic police officers were not allowed to collect cash from offenders but only issue receipts upon receiving a bank deposit slip.

He said traffic offenders must ensure they deposited fines at respective banks.

He said that the police command had also put in place an ethics and integrity committee to keep checks and balances within the police.

He said the police would not protect any erring officers but that they would be dealt with in accordance with Law.

Mr Phiri further stated that the police had also scaled up sensitisation to members of the public on fines, impoundable and non-impoundable offences.

According to the 2014 Zambia Bribe Payers Index (ZBPI) survey jointly conducted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), the report rated the Zambia Police Service traffic section as the most corrupt institution while the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) came second.

The index showed that bribe demand increased by 6.7 percent in 2014 from 4.7 percent in 2012. - Millenniun Radio FM