President Hichilema Calls for Full Digitisation of Government Services to Curb Corruption

President Hakainde Hichilema has urged the Ministry of Technology and Science to accelerate the digital transformation of all government services as part of broader efforts to curb corruption within the public sector.

The President noted that moving services online would significantly cut down on direct human interaction, a key factor often enabling corrupt practices. He emphasised that digital systems promote transparency and efficiency, making it harder for illicit behaviour to go undetected.

Referencing the 2024 10th Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Trends Report released by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), President Hichilema highlighted that corruption in the public sector has already decreased by 15 percent. However, he suggested that if more government services had already been digitised, this figure could have been even higher.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on the digital sector held at State House, which brought together key regulators including the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), President Hichilema reaffirmed his administration’s stance on tackling corruption head-on. He warned that corruption continues to undermine government revenue and development efforts, and stressed the importance of using technology as a powerful tool in the fight against financial crimes and mismanagement of public resources.