Corruption: should impunity continue being tolerated?

Nowadays it has been routine for African nations to be ranked among the world’s most corrupt nations. Although we continue to hear sound bits from politicians and anti graft officials of the eminent demise of corruption, we continue to see no light at the end of the tunnel. Graft has now become a widely accepted tool to lubricate the often slow pace of bureaucracy and at times is seen as a necessary aspect of savvy business deals or social subsidy where those in power are entitled to bribes.

Corruption is a scourge to Africa’s development and manifests itself in all forms be it for simple services such as getting your child to go to school or as large as huge healthcare projects form communities. What is often disheartening when it comes towards tackling corruption is the belief that one cannot totally stamp out corruption and as a result a certain level of corruption is tolerated. So governments even try to flaunt their corruption levels as minimal by comparing to the records of others. This is unacceptable as it can only be seen as defeatist.

Rooting out corruption should not only be emphasized with the big cats involved but should start at the lowest level possible. The cumulative effect of petty corruption though when seen in isolation could be seen as minimal does hamper progress made in any sector. Besides, the overwhelming lost chances and squandered resources, those who trust continue to capitalize through these ruthless unaccountable systematic atrocities. Very often we hear about these acts after pillages that have ended up with losses in millions. Very often the act is accepted to the level that is condoned.

The legacy of graft also spills over towards discouraging investment from abroad and ends up marginalizing millions of Africans. This, in turn, allows room for corrupt officials to sink their tentacles into aid money to feed their habit. Here, as always-vulnerable groups are those that are affected the most. Corruption undermines the economy as a whole and compromise the economy’s long-term efficiency creating more rifts in the poor-rich divide. Doors too have been complacent with the act opting to look the other way and have allowed the practice to propagate.

Though initiatives have been launched to combat corruption on a global scale where we see pressures being applied towards governments to rein in corruption, little progress seems to be seen in areas where the battle so far seems one sided. In this age where multi million dollar investments in infrastructures such as telecoms, power, ports, hidden commissions on contracts or purchases play a significant role in project delays and cost over-runs, resulting in a fall in real investment and economic growth, Africa really needs a face-lift in regards to the image of corrupt regimes.

We cannot continue to sit passively and agonize whenever reports of rampant corruption continue to be published year in year out. Corruption is an issue that we all need to tackle. Because corruption is the root cause of most of Africa’s ills be it unemployment, disease, governance, development, we have only one option and that is to confront corruption head on without showing any softness. We cannot continue to tolerate plunder hoping that one day things would turn out for the better. Individual nations cannot go at it alone but the campaign should be one that is at the continental level .African nations should collaborate to end this scourge that continues to wreak havoc in much of Africa. We should end the rhetoric and act decisively. We need to put our houses in order !!!

June 1, 2007