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Are Africa’s Top Economies Losing The Fight Against Endemic Corruption?

Are Africa’s Top Economies Losing The Fight Against Endemic Corruption?

Kenya, East Africa’s biggest economy, is embroiled in yet another corruption scandal after $49.2 million (Sh5 billion) went missing in the Ministry of Health through manipulation of a tendering system, diversion of funds and double payments of goods.

The latest corruption case comes barely a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta publicly admitted his administration might be losing the war against a vice that has seen Kenya lose millions of dollars since he came to power in March 2013.

“As president, if there is one issue that has frustrated, it is this issue (of corruption). And I will say why. Because the pressure is on me,” Nairobi News quoted Kenyatta.

The president’s clear frustration follows a similar pattern in African countries where several leaders, came to power on the promises of fighting endemic corruption but are now seemingly losing the war.

Kenya loses at least $6 billion (a third of its budget) to corruption each year, Reuters reported.

Kenyatta’s admission of defeat is a source of concern to Kenyans, where corruption influences job opportunities, access to health and education services.

In Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, President Muhammadu Buhari has in recent times admitted the difficulties in fighting graft, instead shifting blame to the judiciary.

Buhari added that the nation’s judicial system must lead the fight and remain impartial in the fight against a vice that robbed the ailing economy of millions of dollars under the previous regime of Goodluck Jonathan.

In South Africa, the continent’s biggest economy, a court order banned Thuli Mandonsela, the nation’s former anti-graft chief from publishing an investigation report with damning allegations against President Jacob Zuma’s graft cases, BBC reported.

The leaders promises to fight corruption are forgotten when they get to power. Their close political cronies and supporters are implicated in the graft cases and often the state anti-corruption agencies appear powerless in the face of political patronage.

Corruption has held back Africa continent from realizing its rich potential, a continent which is the richest in mineral resources yet one of the poorest in the world.

The three nations are among the most corrupt in Africa, according to data by Transparency International.

Africa loses about $50 billion to corruption annually, Vanguard reported.

Meanwhile, as the leaders bemoan the difficulties in fighting endemic corruption that is robbing their economies of millions of dollars, President John Magufuli is taking on the vice head-on in Tanzania.

In December last year, he fired six senior officials in the Tanzania Revenue Authority.