Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a more holistic approach

Abstract

The essay attempts to discuss the genesis and entrenchment of corruption in sub-Saharan Africa taking a holistic approach. By integrating the historical and international contexts of the problem, it links the origins and spread of corruption to the colonization of Africa, the lasting legacy of that colonization, and the actions and practices of international actors. A holistic approach, it is argued, is necessary if the vice is to be understood in its historical totality. This will not only offer a more encompassing explanation of corruption but also allow for the development of well rounded strategies for the alleviation of the problem.The paper concludes that corruption is a multifaceted, complex problem that requires a comprehensive approach that cuts across disciplines. Through such an approach the economic, social, legal, administrative and moral aspects of the problem can be targeted. The approach should also recognize the close linkages among these aspects of the problem and draw in the international dimension of the causes of the problem. While acknowledging that efforts have been expended at the national and international levels to combat corruption, the paper argues that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Much more can be, and needs to be, done. Of particular importance is the need for political goodwill and commitment from governments, bureaucracies and international agencies. This is a necessary condition if the fight against corruption is to be both effective and sustainable.

The State and Development in Africa

“…Moreover societies differ in their views about what constitutes corruption and scholars too disagree about its causes and effects. Normatively defined, corruption refers to the abuse or misuse of public power/position/office/role of trust or resources for private benefit (Girling 1997;Alatas 1990;Thompson 1993;Rose-Ackerman 1999;Mulinge and Lesetedi 2002). However, corruption is viewed here from the perspective of Osoba as: a form of antisocial behaviour by an individual or social group which confers unjust or fraudulent benefits on its perpetrators, is inconsistent with the established legal norms and prevailing moral ethos of the land and is likely to subvert or diminish the capacity of the legitimate authorities to provide fully for the material and spiritual well-being of all members of a society in a just and equitable manner (1996: 372).…”

“…Such behaviour infiltrated indigenous African peoples during the colonial period and was nurtured in the post-colonial era. The credibility of this position is further heightened by the fact that the colonisation of Africa was an extension of the new economic order that resulted from the industrial revolution and its concomitant problems (Mulinge and Lesetedi 2002), the quest for economic gain, or 'free trade imperialism' (Nabudere 1981: 7) that accompanied the industrial revolution fuelled the scramble for, and the eventual partition and colonisation of, Africa by Europeans.…”

“…First, corruption requires a welldeveloped monetary economy characterised by a clear differentiation of interest to survive. Such an economic system did not exist in precolonial Africa (Mulinge and Lesetedi 2002). Thus the introduction of a monetary economy by the colonial government 'laid down the structural groundwork for the origins and sustenance of corrupt practices' (Mulinge and Lesetedi 2002: 54).…”

“…The technique of divide and rule involved the practice of favouring one tribe over others with a dual objective of securing the loyalty of that group to the administration and encouraging rivalry among the others to prevent a sense of unity from growing and threatening colonial rule. The favoured groups were rewarded with access to Western education (Kalinga 1985) and government-sponsored economic opportunities (Mulinge and Lesetedi 2002). This resulted in high regional variations in levels of educational attainment and economic opportunities such that at independence those favoured had an edge over those not favoured and constituted the beginnings of an African elite class that was to dominate the political and economic life of the post-colonial African countries.…”

Corruption and Health Sector Performances in West Africa Countries: A Theoretical Analysis

“…Evidence from West Africa countries suggest that corruptive practices seem to become way of life and principal method of accumulation of wealth (Mulinge and Lesetedi, 2002). As Alemika (2012) put it, corruption has been institutionalized and normalized as an activity of government and widely entrenched in and tolerated by sectors of society (including the health sector) which are supposed to be the conscience of the society.…”