TIZ backs lifestyle audit for ministers

TIZ backs lifestyle audit for ministers
By ADRIAN MWANZA
GOVERNMENT must seriously consider introducing a lifestyle audit on ministers to guard against lavish lifestyles and to build transparency in people serving in government and other public institutions, Transparency International Zambia.
TIZ Executive Director Maurice Nyambe said that they had started advocating for lifestyle audits even in the last regime.
Mr Nyambe said that the issue here was not to introduce the audits but what mechanism would be used to implement the practice.
He said that the move which had been embraced in countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya with similar audits, was aimed at ensuring that the head of State and his ministers did not misuse funds by enriching themselves.
Mr Nyambe said that this was not a new call and that it was just that the PF government was not receptive to the calls which made it difficult to implement.
“A lifestyle is what is needed for the sake of transparency because most people will be able to trace an individual’s wealth before and after becoming a public figure,” he said.
Lifestyle audits are a serious deterrent to corruption as most people would be scared to be involved in any shady activities because they wouldn’t be able to account for the wealth amassed whilst serving as a minister.