The National Assembly unanimously approved two bills – the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (Third Amendment) Bill and the Corruption Control (First Amendment) Bill.

The bills have paved way to bring private institutions, including banks and banking institutions under the scope of the anti-corruption body. At present, the CIAA can investigate corruption cases only within public institutions and their officials.

The bills will now be presented at the House of Representatives (HoR), and if approved by the HoR, they will become law and allow CIAA to investigate corrupt practices by both public and private post holders.

Similarly, banks, financial institutions, insurance institutions, medical colleges, hospitals affiliated with medical colleges, other colleges, public limited companies, government funded bodies or projects under the government will be designated as public institutions for corruption control.

However, there are divergent views among stakeholders regarding inclusion of the private sector under the CIAA for investigation of corruption, with private sector concerned over the provision and fear of being hassled and discouraged.

Earlier in 2020, the government backed out from passing a similar bill to amend the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Act, 1991, after receiving widespread backlash from the private sector.