The Anti-Corruption Bureau is mandated under Section 10 (1) (a) (iii) and (iv) of the Corrupt Practices Act to educate members of the public on the dangers and evil effects of corruption on the society, to solicit the public's support in the fight against corruption and to disseminate information on the activities of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. This task is discharged by the Civic Education Division of the Bureau. At present, three officers are employed in this Division, with a further officer to join shortly.

In order to achieve the above the Anti-Corruption Bureau will—

1. Provide radio programmes, dramas, plays and radio spots;
2. Organise a fully functioning Educational Resource Centre for the preparation of media material;
3. Erect "Bill Boards" in strategic places;
4. Initiate a "Mail Shot" for every public officer giving information on the AntiCorruption Bureau;
5. Organise regular workshops and seminars for both public and private institutions;
6. Produce an "Anti-Corruption Bureau Newsletter", pamphlets, posters and calendars;
7. Hold regular dialogue with Civic leaders and Non-Governmental Organisations;
8. Provide adequate response facilities for the making of complaints and introduce "Suggestion Boxes" in strategic places;
9. Maintain close cooperation with top government leaders, religious organisations and politicians as well as leaders of non-governmental organisations;
10. Hold public meetings and conduct educational tours in rural areas;
11. Participate in Trade Fairs;
12. Hold an annual "Open Day" for the public to see the work of the Bureau.

These are ambitious objectives and a start has been made on many of them; specific details of which are contained in the Appendices.

As mentioned earlier in this report a media "Blitz" took off in April 1997 using both the print and electronic media informing the public about the work of the Bureau and calling for reports and information about corrupt practices. Advertisements in the newspapers and "Radio Spots" on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation were in English and all the main vernacular languages. The public response was overwhelming. Every letter and report was examined and recorded systematically. Action on them has now been accelerated.

Respondents emphatically mentioned their appreciation for the- formation of the Bureau and appear very supportive. This exercise is important because it gets an "Anti-Corruption Message" across to the public, and it will also give the Bureau an idea of the extent and nature of corruption in Malawi and how the public perceives corruption. Such information will help the Bureau to plan its future activities and strategy.

The Director, the Deputy Director and the Advisor have participated in seminars and workshops or have conducted lectures throughout Malawi. These include a presentation by the Director during May 3-5, 1997 in Blantyre to a joint

workshop of the Public Accounts Committee and Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament. The Director gave a lecture at the Police Training School in Kanjedza, Limbe, on 14th October, 1997. He also attended a Southern African Economic Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, from May 21 to 23, 1997, where he was part of the panel on "The Impact of Crime and Corruption on Good Governance"

The Director also attended the 8th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Lima, Peru, in September, 1997. The theme of the Conference was, "The State and Civil Society in the Fight against Corruption". Action to fight corruption was called for at international, regional, national and local levels. The "Lima Declaration" was adopted by acclamation at the end of the conference. Bold and concerted efforts were called for in all countries. Political commitment was seen as the key to success. The Malawi delegation included the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chairperson of Transparency Malawi Chapter, the Clerk of Parliament, the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, and a Judge of the Supreme Court of Malawi.

The Director also attended the Global Coalition for Africa (GCA) Policy Forum which was held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 31st October to 2nd November, 1997. The theme was, "Corruption and Development". The Global Coalition for Africa is a North-South forum which is dedicated to forging policy consensus on development priorities among African Governments, their northern partners, and non-governmental organisations working in and on Africa. The Bureau was specially requested in June 1997 to prepare a paper; it was entitled, "The Commitment to Addressing the Problem of Corruption in Malawi". The paper was widely circulated by the GCA Secretariat at the Policy Forum.

The Deputy Director attended a National Integrity Workshop in November 1996. where he

Bureau and its Future". He also gave a talk to British VSO's volunteers at the Natural Resources College in Lilongwe on 12th April, 1997. He gave two lectures to the Public Sector Administration course at the Malawi Institute of Management on 30th April, 1997, and on 5th March, 1998. The talks and lectures centred on the role, responsibilities and powers of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He twice addressed the Customs and Excise officials in Blantyre and Mangochi on 29th May and 29th June, 1997. He also participated in a Workshop organised by the Vision 2020 project in Salima, on the Good Governance chapter, on 27th June, 1997.

In February 1998, the Advisor presented a Caper entitled "Corruption and Crime: a Dilemma for Malawi" at a workshop organised by the Society of Accountants in Malawi, in Blantyre.

The Bureau issued its first press release on 25th June, 1997, and distributed it widely to all the media as well as donors, ministries and Parliament. The Bureau continued to issue information to the press periodically as part of the process of openness, accountability and transparency, especially, to matters that are already within the public domain.

A newsletter entitled "ACB NEWS" has been produced internally and the first, second and third editions were distributed by December 1997. The fourth edition was distributed in March 1998; this was unique as it was produced by the newly engaged Civic Education Officers, under minimal managerial supervision. Its distribution included Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have been asked to send copies to all Malawi Missions abroad so that Malawi's representatives are kept abreast of developments in the country's efforts to curb corruption. The Bureau will continue to issue the newsletter every two months.

The Director, Deputy Director, and the Technical Advisor, have also during the year given interviews to journalists from the print and electronic media. These interviews are essentially aimed at ensuring that the public is well-informed on Bureau activities so that their reporting is accurate, fair, balanced, and made within the law and in particular with due regard to legal rights of individuals. With core operational staff now on board, more contacts with the media are planned so that the public through the media is kept abreast of Bureau activities, within the confines or dictates of the law.

A number of important people have visited the Bureau Headquarters in Lilongwe. These include officials from the Royal Swedish Embassy in Lusaka, Charge d'affaires, Royal Danish Embassy in Lilongwe, representatives of USAID, representatives of the British High Commission and the Department of International Development; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Transparency International—Berlin; the Global Coalition for Africa, Washington and the World Bank, Washington and Lilongwe.

Over 800 members of the public visited the Lilongwe Office during the year to discuss corruption, make a report or lodge a complaint or seek advice.

By carrying out these activities the Bureau believes that it will in due course achieve better public awareness in the work of the Bureau and its functions, an improvement in the quality of reports made to the Bureau and good public support for, and enhanced confidence in, the Bureau. This is important for long-term success of its anti-corruption strategies.

It is very important that everyone in Malawi feels confident enough to make reports to the Bureau without fear of retribution. There may well be a need in the near future to propose to Parliament some form of "Whistle Blowers Protection" legislation whereby people are guaranteed protection when making reports to the Bureau.

The Bureau is very conscious of the fact that the expectations of the people in the Bureau are high. Regrettably, in spite of determined efforts to get the "anti-corruption" message across to the public, some sectors of society have continued to cast negative aspersions on the ability of the Bureau to perform efficiently and sees the creation of the Bureau in simple, political terms: an instrument to please donors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Corruption affects every single person in Malawi, irrespective of political persuasion. Objective and constructive criticism of the Bureau, itself a public institution, is welcome and will enable it to plan better and focus its strategies more sharply. However, negative reporting based entirely on short-term expediency will have a detrimental effect on the way the public responds to anti-corruption initiatives which the Bureau is propagating under the law.

In order for every person in Malawi to benefit from a decline in corruption, there needs to be fostered a climate which is hostile to corruption, whereby every person stands up and says that they will not tolerate corruption any longer. A massive change in attitude towards corruption is needed, and the current laissez-faire concern must be abandoned. People must tell their elected leaders and pressurise those employed in the public service and also private sector that they will no longer put up with abuses of their rights.

Getting these anti-corruption messages across the length and breadth of Malawi will be significantly enhanced in the near future as soon the results of consultations which have been held with the Royal Danish Embassy in Lilongwe begin to bear fruit. An agreement in respect of terms of reference for a project for Danish Assistance towards the Bureau's Civic Education campaign has been reached. The proposed Danish support will include provision of materials and equipment to the Bureau and a Consultancy. This Civic Education Programme will operate from a resource base in Lilongwe.

The Programme Co-ordinator of the Malawi-German programme on Democracy and Decentralisation has formally indicated willingness to sponsor five-minute comedy slots on the radio, as well as cartoons in the print media, carrying anti-corruption messages.

THE ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU
P.O. BOX 2437
LILONGWE