Corruption in Botswana

Last updated

Corruption in Botswana is usually regarded as one of the lowest in Africa. [1] However, corruption is not eradicated, and can still be seen in many different governmental sectors and in differing forms.

Contents

The 2023 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index gave Botswana a score of 59 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Botswana ranked 39th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. [2] For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180). [3] For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries [Note 1] was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11. Botswana had the third-highest score in Sub-Saharan Africa, after Seychelles and Cape Verde. [4]

Extent

The Business Anti-Corruption Portal, ranked Botswana as moderate in regards to the amount of corruption seen in the country. [5] The Business Anti-Corruption Portal continued on, stating that multiple government sectors, such as the Judicial services, Police, Legislation, Public services, Tax Administration and Public Procurement all see varying risks of corruption. [5] In the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report Botswana ranks 113/141 in the public-sector performance and ranks 32/141 in Transparency. [6] And in the Global Competitiveness Report conducted in the years of 2011 and 2012, it was reported that corruption in Botswana is one of the most problematic factors when it comes to doing business in the country. [7]

Corruption has seen an slight increase over the past years, as a survey carried out by Transparency International and Afrobarometer in 2015 stated that 1% of Botswana citizens paid a bribe in the past 12 months for a public service, which in 2019, increased to 7%. [8]

The survey also stated that 39% of Botswana residents think that people in police departments are involved in corruption, a decrease from 54% in 2015. 39% of Botswana residents think that government officials are involved in corruption, an increase from 29% in 2015, and 28% of Botswana residents think that members of parliament are involved in corruption, an increase from 28% in 2015. [8]

Furthermore, in 2019, 52% of Botswana residents stated that corruption increased in their nation, 20% said it decreased, 17% saying it stayed the same, and 11% without an answer, while in the 2015 survey, 51% of residents said that there was an increase in corruption, 24% saying that it decreased, 14% thinking it stayed the same and 11% without an answer. [8]

Forms of corruption

Corruption in Botswana is primarily used by the small, state elite. It is these individuals that have used their power to create patronage networks and have the interests of both the public sector and private sector blur together. Combating this form of corruption is harder. It is more entrenched in the state government and private industries, and the small minority that is benefitting from this corruption can use their power to ensure that it continues on. [7] Nepotism and patronage are the preferred methods of these state elites. [5]

Botswana is also a victim to petty and bureaucratic corruption. However, this form of corruption is typically rarely seen and perceived to be low. [7] In 2016, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development spent 600 million pula without approval from the Parliament, and put Botswana’s education sector in financial danger. [9]

Anti-corruption efforts

Corruption in Botswana is primarily investigated by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC). It is because of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes that Botswana is able to stay relatively low on the corruption scale. This is because of the high prosecution rates that the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime is able to achieve. [10] To aid in fighting corruption, Botswana is also a member of the Eastern and Southern Anti-Money Laundering Group. [11]

Mokgweetsi Masisi, the current President of Botswana, has also had a hand in combating corruption in his country. At a regional conference dedicated to combating corruption on the African continent, Masisi gave a speech as the guest of honour, where he called on governments to implement corruption-fighting policies. These policies would require internal accounting and auditing mechanisms, strong anti-corruption institutions to provide oversight, and the rule of law and due process. Masisi also explained the various methods that his country has adopted in combating its own corruption, which include the creation of a specialized court only for criminal acts of corruption, and a number of different legal acts, such as the Whistle Blower Act and the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act. [12]

When it comes to other legal frameworks and acts passed to combat corruption in the country, the most widely noted is the Corruption and Economic Crime Act of 1994. This act created the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC), which has led corruption-fighting efforts in Botswana, and granted the Directorate its powers. The Corruption and Economic Crime Act also has a number of other powers, such as outlawing the solicitation, receiving and accepting of a payment with aims to manipulate a public civil servant. Some more powers of the CECA include numerous whistleblower protections. [7]

Notes

  1. Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Republic of the Congo, Swaziland, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Ghana</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Political corruption in Ghana has been common since independence. Since 2017, Ghana's score on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index has improved slightly from its low point that year, a score of 40 on a scale from 0 to 100. Ghana's score rose to 43 by 2020 and has remained there until the present, 2023. When ranked by score among the 180 countries in the 2023 Index, Ghana ranked 70th, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Paraguay</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Observers maintain that corruption in Paraguay remains a major impediment to the emergence of stronger democratic institutions and sustainable economic development in Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in New Zealand</span> Institutional corruption in the country

This article discusses the responsibilities of the various agencies involved in combating corruption in New Zealand. New Zealand is regarded as having one of the lowest levels of corruption in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Zimbabwe</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Zimbabwe has become endemic within its political, private and civil sectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Romania</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Romania has decreased in recent years. In particular since 2014, Romania undertook a significant anti-corruption effort that included the investigation and prosecution of medium- and high-level political, judicial and administrative officials by the National Anticorruption Directorate. The National Anticorruption Directorate was established in 2002 by the Romanian government to investigate and prosecute medium and high-level corruption related offenses, using a model of organization inspired by similar structures in Norway, Belgium and Spain. Adrian Zuckerman, the US Ambassador in Romania, has stated in 2021 that "the rule of law has been strengthened in Romania". Since 2022, the effectiveness of the investigation and sanctioning of high-level corruption further improved, including by advancing on cases that had been pending for years for procedural reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in the Czech Republic</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in the Czech Republic is considered to be widespread by a majority of the Czech public, according to Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Slovakia</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Slovakia is a serious and ongoing problem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Tanzania</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Both grand and petty corruption are serious problems in Tanzania yet various comprehensive laws are in place to prevent corruption. It is largely due to a weak internal control and low or non-compliance with anti-corruption regulations within different government agencies. For instance, public procurement, taxation, and customs service are areas that are prone to corruption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Uganda</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Uganda is characterized by grand-scale theft of public funds and petty corruption involving public officials at all levels of society as well as widespread political patronage systems. Elite corruption in Uganda is through a patronage system which has been exacerbated by foreign aid. Aid has been providing the government with large amounts of resources that contribute to the corrupt practices going on within the country. The style of corruption that is used is to gain loyalty and support so that officials can remain in power. One of the more recent forms of corruption is through public procurement because of the lack of transparency with transactions that happen within the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Cameroon</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Since independence, corruption has been more than prevalent in Cameroon. In fact, corruption has become pervasive and has affected all sectors of the government and civil society including the executive, judiciary, police, and even the private sector. The main causes being a deep lack of political will to fight corruption and neopatrimonialism. Other causes include; personal interests and absence of duty conscience, weak judiciary and almost nonexistent opposition in the legislative, nepotism and favouritism, ineffective system of accountability, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Senegal</span> Institutional corruption in the country

On Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Senegal scored 43 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Senegal ranked 70th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, Senegal's score was also the average score in 2023; the best score was 90 and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Ethiopia</span> Institutional corruption in the country

There are several sectors in Ethiopia where businesses are particularly vulnerable to corruption. Land distribution and administration is a sector where corruption is institutionalized, and facilitation payments as well as bribes are often demanded from businesses when they deal with land-related issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Zambia</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Despite several steps taken by the previous government in order to fight corruption in Zambia, there has not been a dramatic improvement in the public perception of anti-corruption efforts over the past years. Corruption remains pervasive in the country, yet in April 2014 the Business Anti-Corruption Portal reported that the situation in Zambia is relatively better than that of other countries in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Sudan</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Sudan is substantial, as it is considered one of the most corrupt nations in the world. On the 2010 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, on one hundred point scale, it scored in the single digits in every category, including 0.9 for political stability, 6.2 for rule of law, 7.2 for regulatory quality, 6.7 for government effectiveness, and 4.3 for control of corruption. In 2011 Freedom House named Sudan as one of the worst nations for human rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Liberia</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption is endemic at every level of Liberian society, making Liberia one of the most politically corrupt nations in the world. As such, corruption is not specifically a punishable crime under Liberian law, which further exacerbates the nature of corruption present in the country. When President Sirleaf took office in 2006, she announced that corruption was “the major public enemy.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Guinea-Bissau</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Guinea-Bissau occurs at among the highest levels in the world. In Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2023, Guinea-Bissau scored 22 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Guinea-Bissau ranked 158th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. However, Guinea-Bissau's score has either improved or remained steady every year since its low point in 2018, when it scored 16. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score in 2023 was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11. In 2013, Guinea-Bissau scored below the averages for both Africa and West Africa on the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s Index of African Governance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Eritrea</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Eritrea is considered a deeply serious and growing problem. The level of corruption used to be considerably lower in Eritrea than in many other African countries. Indeed, it was traditionally viewed as having a “strong ‘anti-corruption’ culture” and considered relatively “egalitarian and corruption-free.” In 2006, a report by Bertelsmann Stiftung stated that corruption, as of that date, was not a serious problem within Eritrea. While noting that there had been “cases of corruption since independence,” they existed on a negligible level, although politically-motivated corruption allegations have been made. But, in fact, corruption is said to have been growing steadily worse ever since 1998, when, not long after the end of its decades-long war of independence, a border conflict with Ethiopia led to another war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Azerbaijan</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Azerbaijan is considered high and occurs at all levels of government. Corruption during the Soviet era was rife and persists into the present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Chad</span> Political corruption

Corruption in Chad is characterized by nepotism and cronyism. Chad received a score of 20 in the 2023 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Chad ranked 162nd among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in the Comoros</span>

Corruption in the Comoros follows the familiar patterns of state-based corruption, namely government officials abusing their political powers for private gain in the country of Comoros.

References

  1. https://successcapital.africa/news/corruption-in-botswana/
  2. "The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated". Transparency.org. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. "Corruption Perceptions Index 2023: Botswana". Transparency.org. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  4. "CPI 2023 for Sub-Saharan Africa: Impunity for Corrupt Officials, Restricted Civic Space & Limited Access to Justice". Transparency.org. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Botswana Corruption Report". GAN Integrity. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  6. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf
  7. 1 2 3 4 Badham-Jones, Michael (27 November 2014). "Overview of Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Botswana" (PDF). Transparency International. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  8. 1 2 3 https://www.transparency.org/en/gcb/africa/africa-2019/results/bwa
  9. Masokola, Alfred. "P600 million goes missing at Education Ministry". WeekendPost.
  10. "2011 Investment Climated Statement - Botswana". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 21 April 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  11. "Botswana". 2011-04-21. Archived from the original on 2011-04-21. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  12. "Botswana is a shining beacon of hope in the fight against corruption in Africa | United Nations Economic Commission for Africa". archive.uneca.org. Retrieved 2022-06-16.