What is The Church’s Social Teaching Saying About Corruption?
Abstract
Corruption in Zambia is widespread and continues to grow, despite the fact that Zambia is a fairly democratic and peaceful country. Nearly every day, there are significant number of corruption cases involving huge sums of money that are reported in the media. These cases have often involved people in key public offices, although, of course, the private sector is not totally exempt. Corruption can be defined as the: “Misuse of resources or authority by a public official for personal advantage”. Therefore, I am corrupt when I use my position dishonestly for my gain or when I get another to use his or her position dishonestly for my gain. Although the definition given above focuses on people in the public service, when looked at in a broader sense, corruption involves all sorts of bribery that can occur in the private sector as well.
Description
According to Zambian law, the Anti-Corrupt!on Commission Act No. 42 of 1996, corruption is defined as: “The soliciting, accepting, obtaining, giving or offering of a gratification by way of a bribe or other personal temptation or inducement, or the misuse or abuse of a public office for private advantage or benefit.” Amongst other things, it includes dishonesty, bribery, extortion, profiteering, crookedness, embezzlement, fraud, payoff, stealing, nepotism and favouritism