CORRUPTION IN AFRICA

Corrumpere which is the past-participle of the Latin word corruptus which means to be utterly broken. Corruption, can therefore be defined as a 'Moral Breakdown' and in theological terms it may include 'Spiritual Impurity'. Politically, economically and socially, corruption is misuse of ones' position for personal gain. Corruption include, but not limited to: embezzlement, bribery, abuse of power and nepotism.

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According to the World Bank, corruption is 'the abuse of public office for private gain'. Although this is true, it does not capture the big picture of what corruption really is! Corruption is not a confine of public office alone but it, in deed, extend to the private sector. A good example is when a person happens to be asked for and/or gives a bribe in order to be given or get 'connected to' a job in a private business.

In an article by Prof. David Fourie in 2005 titled:  'Good Governance in Public Financial Management: An African Perspective, he states that: 

 The over-riding concern with good governance in Africa is associated with financial mis-management and official corruption that frustrate development goals. Corruption sets in when public officials are for example paid “rent” in order to circumvent the restrictions in terms of quotas, import restrictions, excise duty, to secure a contract, obtain monopoly over a contract or to limit competition (Szeftel, 1998: 223-4). Officials could then position themselves where they can be bribed for various decisions, services or turning a blind eye to certain illegal practices. Corruption in the administration is seen as a consequence of one-party political systems. The following are examples of the areas where corruption normally manifests itself (Public Sector Anti-Corruption Strategy: Public Service Commission, 2003):

• Bribery
• Embezzlement
• Fraud
• Extortion
• Abuse of power
• Conflict of interest
• Favouritism
• Nepotism
• Theft/Collusion

 Poor financial management includes corruption in all its manifestations as reflected above, since corruption either sees public funds misused, applied to benefit a select individual or entity or sees potential public funds diverted away from the national revenue to private income. Public financial management hence is not confined to those finances appropriated to render particular public services or goods but to all transactions where financial value is prevalent. Nepotism, favouritism, abuse of power and insider trading are equally about good governance in public financial management as is embezzlement and extortion.

 I have quoted Prof. David Fourie at length because he offers succinct summary of the different forms of corruption associated with public service.

Corruption has many causes which include: Wamalwa in his 1993 article titled, 'Causes and Consequences of Ethical Crisis in Africa's Public Services', states that:

African Political systems have created the conditions which have provided a fertile ground and nurtured corruption in a variety of ways. in the first place, politics in most African States are based on patron-client  relationships. It is also sometimes called 'Bossman' Politics. They system consists of factions each under a leader who dishes out favours including money or other resources to individuals in return for for support. In such a situation naturally the 'boss' or 'patron' requires resources. Such resources are more often than not acquired by corrupt means....

Wamalwa brings me to the question: Who is to blame? Is it the 'Boss' who steals public money in order to be able to buy his way to power or is it the one who accepts the bribe, or who is more liable than the other? In my view, the one who takes the bribe holds more blame. The minute you receive a bribe from a politician, that is where corruption gets its energy from.