Vice President Saulos Chilima has warned members of the private sector against getting involved in corrupt activities, saying the government will go after them.
Chilima issued the warning on Wednesday when he had a meeting with members of the private sector based in the Central Region.
The vice president told the business captains that President Lazarus Chakwera is committed to clearing the rubble.
“The fight is not only for the public sector but also for the private sector. We will go after anyone involved in corruption be it from the public sector or private sector,” he said.
Chilima also expressed concern over the tendency of the private sector to obtain licenses but failing to implement the corresponding economic activities. He warned that licenses issued to idle companies will be revoked.
He said: “I also took the opportunity to bemoan the tendency of the Private Sector to obtain licenses, be it for mining, oil drilling or telecommunications yet nothing happens on the ground five or 10 years down the line. I told them that we will be revoking the licenses. The same goes for land. Why would an investor buy land and keep it undeveloped for 15 years?”
On the private sector’s plea for introduction of tax incentives, Chilima assured the private sector that government is looking into the matter with the seriousness that it deserves.
Chilima also held a similar meeting last month with the private sector in Blantyre. The objective of the meetings is to solicit views and suggestions from the private sector on what role they can play in supporting the government’s quest to reform the public sector.
According to Chilima, the Chakwera administration is repositioning the public sector so that it meets existing and emerging needs of the country while delivering high quality services to the citizenry and at the same time advocating for public sector professionalism and integrity.
“As a strategic stakeholder, it is important that the private sector must be part and parcel of this initiative,” he said.
