By Edwin Mauluka
A new anti-corruption initiative launched by Malawi’s top graft-busting agency is drawing mixed reactions from governance experts and activists.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has rolled out vehicles clearly marked as part of a surveillance unit. Acting Director General Gabriel Chembezi said the vehicles will be deployed to locations suspected of corruption-related activities.
“This unit is the first of its kind and will help the bureau track and nab corrupt officials, boosting transparency and accountability in the country,” said Chembezi on Monday.
However, former presidential adviser Allan Z. Ntata questioned the effectiveness of the approach, likening the surveillance unit to “an undercover policeman announcing to the community” that he is on duty.
“Malawi now appears to have surveillance vehicles that publicly announce themselves as surveillance vehicles. One wonders who exactly they are supposed to be surveilling,” Ntata wrote on his Facebook page.
Ntata, a lawyer who frequently comments on governance issues, argued that anti-corruption investigations are most effective when suspects are caught off guard.
“But when a vehicle drives around boldly labelled ‘ACB Surveillance Unit,’ the operation ceases to be surveillance and becomes theatre,” he said.
He added that such initiatives reflect a broader governance culture in Malawi that prioritises the appearance of enforcement rather than its effectiveness.
“Real anti-corruption work is quiet, patient and often invisible. It involves discreet investigations, financial tracking, confidential sources and strategic prosecutions. It does not require advertising,” Ntata said.
He told The Forum that tackling corruption decisively also requires addressing deeper systemic weaknesses, including leadership failures that sometimes shield corrupt individuals rather than confront the problem.
Michael Kaiyatsa, chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Alliance (NACA), welcomed the initiative but stressed that equipment alone will not determine the success of the anti-corruption fight.
“The fight against corruption depends less on equipment and more on political will, institutional independence and accountability across all levels of government,” he said.
Kaiyatsa said tools such as surveillance vehicles can support investigations but must be part of a broader, well-resourced and independent anti-corruption strategy.
He noted that the ACB continues to face structural challenges, including inadequate and unpredictable funding, limited human resources and delays in prosecuting high-profile corruption cases.
“Without addressing these systemic constraints, the impact of any single technological intervention may remain limited,” Kaiyatsa observed.
He also emphasised the need for transparency and legal safeguards when exercising surveillance powers to prevent abuse and maintain public trust.
“Anti-corruption efforts must always respect the rule of law and citizens’ rights,” he said.
Meanwhile, Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT) Executive Director Willy Kambwandira said the bureau must go beyond symbolic measures if it is to make meaningful progress.
Kambwandira called on authorities to prioritise the prosecution of corruption cases involving senior government officials and politicians, many of which remain pending in the courts.
Malawi continues to struggle with corruption challenges. According to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025, the country ranks 109th out of 182 countries.
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