ZAMBIA's corruption perception index has improved by 0.2 points, to 3.0 points compared to last year's 2.8 points.

Presenting the CPI report for 2009, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) board treasurer Sampa Kalungu said this year, Zambia had recorded 3.0 points out of 10, a score that indicated an improvement of 0.2 points from last year's 2.8.

The CPI evaluation did not extend to the administration of President Rupiah Banda as it was conducted in 2007 and 2008, the last two years of late president Levy Mwanawasa's rule.

But second Republican president Frederick Chiluba's spokesperson, Emmanuel Mwamba and State House chief political analyst, Francis Chigunta accused TIZ of portraying the Government of President Banda as being corrupt when the opposite was true.

In the previous ratings, Zambia was ranked 19 out of 69 while this year, it was ranked 17 out of 60.

"This is an important development notwithstanding the fact that the CPI does not take into consideration the current situation as most surveys on Zambia mainly cover the two years starting from 2007 to 2008," Mr Kalungu said.

He said the improvement in Zambia's position was an indication that some of the measures on fighting corruption were beginning to bear fruit.

He said it was an indication that Zambia could perform better than many countries if the approach to the fight against corruption remained focused and was devoid of self-serving interests

"TIZ has always maintained the position that while corruption was still rampant during the reign of late President Mwanawasa, he did his best to publicly address the scourge.

"The late president demonstrated his eagerness to do something about corruption and it is these efforts among others which have been noticed by various stakeholders," Mr Kalungu said.

He said TIZ was aware of the fact that President Banda's fight against corruption would not be similar to that of his predecessor, but emphasised that everything possible should be done to prevent the country from sliding back into the era when corruption was rife.

He recommended that the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption policy should be completed and funded as part of the 2010 national Budget.

Mr Kalungu also said the Government should domesticate the UN convention on corruption so that laws and policies could adequately reflect the progressive provisions aimed at facilitating the fight against graft.

He urged the Government to extend forensic audits to all Government spending agencies and also called on the country's cooperating partners to support the work of the auditor general.

"Law enforcement agencies should expeditiously conclude the investigations and prosecution of corruption cases that have been pending for a long time," Mr Kalungu said.

However, Mr Mwamba and Dr Chigunta who were in the audience accused TIZ of being biased in its evaluation.

They said TIZ was creating an impression that the current Government was not fighting corruption.

Mr Mwamba said it was regrettable that TIZ could not mention that the serious cases of alleged thefts like those at the Ministry of Health occurred during Dr Mwanawasa's reign.

He said Mr Banda had worked hard to get rid of corruption but from the position of TIZ, an anti-corruption fighter should seek a conviction, a move he said was off the mark.

Dr Chigunta said President Banda, like his predecessor, was working hard to domesticate conventions against corruption and had even gone a step further by launching the National Anti-Corruption policy.