Police top bribery league: report

Tanzania dropped eight places in Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index--from 111 in 2013 to 119. But the country’s score has improved from 33 last year to 35 out of 100.  The index ranks 175 countries by perceived levels of public sector corruption and draws on 13 surveys. 

By Bernard Lugongo,The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

• Second is the Judiciary, whose workers pocketed 18 per cent of bribes, while agencies tasked with registration are third
• The report says that members of the Police Force received 25 per cent of all bribes given to employees of public institutions last year

Dar es Salaam. The Police Force is the most corrupt public institution in Tanzania, according to the 2014 East African Bribery Index (EABI).

The report released yesterday says that members of the Police Force received 25 per cent of all bribes given to employees of public institutions last year.

Second is the Judiciary, whose workers pocketed 18 per cent, while agencies tasked with registration and issuance of licences are third on 10 per cent.

Local government authorities and natural resources departments are joint fourth after their employees took five per cent of bribes.

Tanzania’s police force is the second most corrupt in East Africa.  Uganda tops this league of shame with Kenya and Burundi in third and fourth places, respectively.  Police in Rwanda are the least corrupt in the region, according to the report.

The EABI survey was conducted in July and August, last year,   by the non-governmental organisation Concern for Development Initiatives in Africa (ForDIA) in collaboration with the Tanzania Transparency Forum (Trafo).  It focuses on good governance in government institutions through a corruption index.

ForDIA Executive Director Bubelwa Kaiza said corruption had continued to hamper access to social services in the country.

“This is an indication that improvement in policies on good governance have yet to have the desired impact,” he said.

However, very few Tanzanians are ready to report to the relevant authorities for action.

According to the report, only nine per cent  of people who gave bribes reported the matter to the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) or police. 

“People don’t believe that the relevant authorities will take any action even if they report bribe-takers,” Mr Kaiza said. 

Police spokesperson Advera Senso said when reached for comment yesterday that she had not seen the report. “I can only comment after getting and reading the report, which I haven’t,’ she said.