This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from the European Commission. The Anti-Corruption Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International and funded by the European Union.
Query
Can you please provide the corruption profile of Malawi with a special focus on transport, agriculture and education?
Content
1. Overview of corruption in Malawi
2. Nature of corruption challenges
3. Effects of corruption by sector
4. Legal and institutional anti-corruption framework
5. Conclusions
6. References
CAVEAT
The literature on corruption in the transportation sector in Malawi is very limited; therefore this answer focuses on the main motivating factors of corruption in the country as well as on the main corruption risks in agriculture and education.
Summary
Since the return of multi-party democracy to Malawi in 1994, Malawian governments have undertaken important steps to contain corruption, and every government that has come to power since then has made the fight against corruption a central part of its agenda. Important milestones in the fight against corruption in Malawi are the creation of a number of relevant institutions, laws, policies and strategies, including the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.
The progress in the fight against corruption, however, seems to have stagnated: petty and grand corruption are commonplace and the high levels of patronage, nepotism and clientelism constitute a hurdle to the proper functioning of the anti-corruption framework. The latest corruption scandal in the country emerged in the second half of 2013 and has had some important consequences for the country, including the disruption of foreign aid that constitutes 40 per cent of the government’s budget.
Authors
Roberto Martínez B. Kukutschka, [email protected]
Reviewers
Maira Martini; Dieter Zinnbauer; Tapiwa Uchizi Nyasulu, Transparency International
Date
15/09/2014
