• Rampant cases of corruption involving motorists and traffic law enforcement officers witnessed over the years.
• The impact of this scourge has not only robbed lives of family members but also diverted revenue from government
• It is unacceptable that road traffic corruption has for a long time been tolerated

Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) has revealed that the rampant cases of corruption involving motorists and traffic law enforcement officers witnessed over the years need to be brought to a stop.

ACC Director-General Gilbert Phiri explained that the impact of this scourge has not only robbed lives of family members but also diverted revenue from government coffers.

Mr. Phiri stated that it is unacceptable that road traffic corruption has for a long time been tolerated and is almost being accepted by many road users as a normal inconvenience without the perpetrators reflecting on their conscience that this scourge has contributed to the road traffic carnage across the country.

He noted that it is for this reason that the commission has mooted a national-wide crusade against road traffic corruption dubbed ‘No Bribes But Fines Campaign’. “Road traffic corruption has enriched selfish law enforcement officers at the expense of people’s lives, and adversely affected public service delivery, further increasing costs in the road transport business”, he said.
And speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement meeting held recently to plan on the campaign, ACC Director of Corruption Prevention Glenda Mungalaba said the need for involvement of every stakeholder in the campaign is critical as everyone is affected in some ways by this scourge.
She said there is need for everyone to join the ACC in fighting corruption in whatever form it manifests itself and ensure that the correct thing is done at all times, which is to pay fines and not bribes, whenever one finds themselves to have committed a traffic offence.
Meanwhile, Mr. Austin Mwiinga from the Bus Taxis and Truck Drivers Association of Zambia applauded the Commission for the initiative although long overdue.
“My Association was ready to work with the Commission to see to it that traffic corruption was curtailed, “he said.
Mr. Mwiinga’ s sentiments were echoed by all stakeholders that attended the meeting.
The stakeholders in the meeting included representatives from the Truck and Bus Drivers Association of Zambia, the SADC Truck and Bus Drivers Association, the Bus and Taxi Owners Association, the National Drivers Association of Zambia, the Female Truck Drivers Cooperative, the Trackers Association of Zambia, the Zambia Police Service, the Road Transport and Safety Agency, and Transparency International Zambia.
The meeting resolved that the campaign should among others publicize the traffic offences and fines, publicize the need to reject bribes and report corrupt practices, hold simultaneous national-wide matches against the vice, have integrity checks on compliance to traffic regulations by motorists and law enforcement officers and hold a public indaba and discussion forum to get views on the extent of the problem and possible solutions.
The ‘No Bribes But Fines Campaign’ is expected to commence on 15th November 2022 till end of year.