CORRUPTION
• Is the abuse of both public and private organisation offices for private gain.
• Corruption= Monopoly + Discretion – Transparency).
• Firstly, it is a process whereby two or more people are engaged in an
unauthorized transaction from which the parties involved ultimately enjoy
unauthorized benefits.
• Secondly, in that process there is always strong and secretes desire for
personal gain.
• Thirdly, corruption thrives where decision-making power and authority are
monopolized by a class of elites who function under a non-transparent system
of public service in which accountability mechanisms are functionless.
Types of corruption
• Petty corruption is the small scale, everyday corruption that happens between low
level government officials and the public, “at the implementation end of politics”.
• It is the realm of bribe payments to receive goods and government services-
government contracts, licenses, hospital care, school (college) enrolment, lower
taxes or anything to expedite public services.
• Grand corruption occurs at the highest level of the government, “at the policy
formulation”.
• Occurs when people vested with public authority are corrupt themselves and use
it to sustain their own power and wealth by ignoring or side-stepping laws, trading
influence, misallocation of resources or subverting campaigns and elections.
Causes of corruption
a) Incompetence and inefficiencies in delivery of public service: where
the services provided by public servants do not meet the needs of
citizens.
b) Legal and administrative/political framework that provide an
atmosphere conducive to the existence of corruption. There are
some laws that give a room of conduction corruption such as the
Procurement Act (2004) eg 10-15%
c) Economic conditions that forces people to strive for survival; this is
contributed by low salaries of the public servants and rapid rise in
the cost of living.
Cont…
d. Lengthy and difficult procedures
e. Insecurity of employment tenure. Employment contracts that is
unsecured in some public and private sectors which lead employees
unsettled and dishonest in delivering services to the citizens.
f. Lack of political will. Political will is the readiness of the ruling party
through its government to work strictly on various matters without
hesitating to affecting party’s or private benefits.
h. Emergence of conspicuous consumption, when there is high demand
than supply automatically the citizen will need to bribe the servants for
better and fast access of the services.
The consequences of corruption in
Tanzania
a) Citizens may completely lose faith in their leadership and leadership may be locked
wrangles
b) Social insecurity may rise as the gap between the haves and have nots increase in the
society.
c) Inadequate resources and social services may hinder government attainment of good
governance and improved service delivery.
d) Rise in administrative costs which in turn may force the government to increase taxes
while provision of service delivery remains poor.
e) Erosion of courage and resolve to adhere to high standard of integrity
since those who are corrupt do promoted
f) Lead to a mockery of the country’s judicial system injustice and in some cases decisions
are weighed in purely monetary terms rather than human values and respect.
The ways of combating corruption in
Tanzania
• Corruption in the country observed since independence up to date as
the following historical evidences shows:
• Phase one, 1961-1967: emergence of initial elements of corruption.
During struggle for independence there were two perspective named
socialism (e.g. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere) and capitalism (e.g. Oscar
Kambona).
Phase two 1967-1984: nt…
Early attempts to fight corruption. The introduction of socialism stand as the
icon to fight corruption as it involves some measure to combat corruption.
Firstly, nationalization of all private businesses especially in the areas of
export-import trade, manufacturing and commerce (banks).
Secondly, ruling party became a supreme (have power and authority to
direct all public policy).
Thirdly, introduction of Leadership Code of 1967 which prohibit public
leaders from engaging into capitalist activities .e.g. owning business and
receiving more than one salary.
Finally, a party directive (mwongozo) of 1972, that wanted public leaders to
respect their subordinate and participative decision making.
Phase three: 1985-2008:
• The death of socialism and re-emergence of corruption.
a) There was a shortage of foreign exchange led to scarcity of goods and bribe
emerged in the public enterprises.
b) Public servants were underpaid due to the shortage of fund. This led them to find
other means of surviving.
c) There was an undeclared progressive departure from the principles of citizen
equality, absence of exploitation and self-reliance, as outlined in the Arusha
declaration, the Leadership Code and Mwongozo.
d) The international donor community changed its approach to giving aid to
developing countries. Eg through public sector
e) Finally, the privatization of public enterprises started, thereby increasing the
momentum towards the building of peripheral capitalism
The initiatives taken by Tanzanian government to combat
corruption
• Anti-corruption squad
• The Government under Mwalimu Nyerere in 1975 established the
Anti-Corruption Squad under the Ministry of Home Affairs after the
Parliament had enacted Act No.16 of 1971, the Prevention of
Corruption Act.
• In 1983 the Parliament, enacted a law known as the 1983 Economic
Sabotage Act to address the problem of corruption and inequity.
• Then it replaced by the Economic and Organized Crimes Control Act of
1984 which incorporated offences under the Prevention of Corruption
Act as economic offences.
Cont…
• Presidential commission of inquiry against corruption
• In 1995 the parliament enacted the Act No 13 known as the Leadership
Code of Ethic to prohibit improper conducts of the public leaders.
• Also, the formation of presidential commission which is well known as
Warioba Commission.
• It examines the causes, effect and identified the participants.
• The commission gave various recommendations about what to be done
to prevent corruption, but the government under President Benjamin
Mkapa did not implement any of the recommendations.
Cont…
• The Public Procurement Act, 2004
• This Act needs all public offices and institutions to follow the stated
procedures for purchasing goods, services and materials.
• It needs competition and transparency in the process of tendering.
Cont…
• The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB)
• It was established under the Prevention and Combating of Corruption
Act No11 of 2007.
• This is after the repeal the prevention of corruption Act (PCA) Cap 329
(RE 2002).
• It has to educate, advise public, investigate and prevent all kinds of
corruption.
Cont…
• Establishment of anticorruption court 2016
• It seek to foster the processes of combating corruption scandals in
Tanzania
• For grand corruption
• Incorporate corruption in education curriculum
Ways of combating corruption in Tanzania
1. Education
2. Give proper mandate to the Prevention and Combating of
Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and other institutional agents fighting
corruption
3. Increase the public servants’ salary
4. Raise the pension for public servants
5. Increase transparency in government institutions and departments
6. Active laws which give appropriate punishment
The challenges of combating corruption in Tanzania
1. The government has not been brave enough to deal with corrupt senior
public service officials.
2. There is a yawning gap between the claimed government commitments to
combating corruption and what it is actually doing on the ground.
3. Fight against corruption seems to be an exclusive monopoly by government
officials.
4. Despite putting in place institutions such as the Prevention and Combating
of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) as well as policy frameworks such the
Leadership and Ethics Codes, enforcement is still very weak
5. Salaries for public employees are very low in view of current commodity
price index as well as inflation
SAY NO TO CORRUPRTION
