In Mozambique, the chiefwhip of the ruling FRELIMO party in parliament denies the government'santi-graft campaign has been unsuccessful.
Manuel Tome said mopping out corruption is an ongoing effortand something that cannot be achieved overnight.
"Wedon't think that the fight against corruption has failed. You know you can'teliminate corruption from one day to the other. It's a process and we have toinvolve not only the judicial institutions, but also civic institutions," hesaid.
Tomesaid the government will continue its fight to weed out corruption despite theongoing trial of a former cabinet minister.
Formertransport minister Antonio Munguambe and four other former officials areaccused of allegedly stealing nearly two million dollars from the MozambiqueAirport Company.
Tomepointed to the trials of former officials as proof of the government'sseriousness in fighting corruption.
"Thismeans that the judicial institutions are working. This means that we arefighting corruption. The contrary should be an example of let us say coveringthese people involved in corruption. This means that if a civil servant or evena leader is involved in corruption, the judicial institutions, the policeetcetera they act. This is what we want in our country," Tome said.
PresidentArmando Guebuza vowed to end corruption after the anti-corruption law waspassed in 2004.
But critics have often characterized the government'santi-corruption drive as ineffective.
If convicted, the former transport minister and fourco-defendants will face between eight and 12 years in prison.
In its latest CorruptionPerception Index released Tuesday, Transparency International ranks Mozambique130 out of 180 countries, findings the ruling FRELIMO partydisputes.