President Joyce Banda and her government have failed to show real vigour to fight corruption which is becoming deep rooted in the country, President of the new Labour Party (NLP) Friday Jumbe has said.

In an interview on Monday, the former finance minister said corruption is worsening particularly in the public service where he said it is almost impossible to get a service without giving a bribe.

He said even though the current government would rightly claim that some of the corrupt systems were inherited from the previous government, the Banda administration seems to have completely given up the fight.

“Corruption is getting worse every day and I am afraid we may reach a point where corruption levels will be beyond description. Is that what we want? What worries me more is the fight against corruption is not there anymore,” Jumbe said.

According to Jumbe the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) which is mandated to lead the war against corruption remains toothless and continues to be used to silence political opponents and not public officials who are denying the public access to services.

“To get a passport you have to buy your way, to get a driving license you have to buy your way, to drive your car from here to Lilongwe, you have to buy your way, to go to an office in Lilongwe to obtain a business licence you have to buy your way. Everything is going under and I am worried,” he said.

But Minister of Information and Civic education Moses Kumkuyu said the current government has made efforts to end the malpractice.

“It is not true that we are not fighting corruption at all. We are. The results may not be felt now because corruption was really deep rooted. this administration found the fight against corruption on a standstill with the ACB dysfunctional,” he said.

By CHIKONDI JUMA