The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has told chiefs to restrain from corruption during the campaign period.
Speaking during a meeting with chiefs and their subjects in traditional authority Zulu in Mchinji, ACB public education officer Chifundo Sohaya said chiefs should know that there are charges against any corrupt practice during the campaign period.
Sohaya told the chiefs that it is a crime to tell their subjects who to vote for or to receive something from the contestants with an aim of giving that person a favor by providing the contestant with venues for meetings and restricting others from holding their meetings in particular places.
He added that corruption makes people to choose someone they do not want to be their leader as they just vote for that person in fear after recieving something from them.
”Most of the times people feel cheated after voting for someone they did not want to rule them as they vote for that person after they received handouts feeling that that person might be of help to them only to learn that he was giving them the handouts just to entice them to vote for him, so people should make sure that they vote for someone who will bring development in their areas not someone who is corrupt,” said Sohaya.
Sohaya added that people should also know that corruption occurs between two people – the one who give and the other who receives – and once caught these two will pay a fine of K500,000 or in default to stay for two year in prison.
During the meeting people were also oriented on the voting procedures and what they are supposed to do on 21st May.
