Marking Africa Day with commitment on fighting corruption

By DEUS NGOWI in Arusha 

THE Africa continent marked its day–when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was established on May 25, 1963, meaning that going by the laws of addition the OAU–now African Union (AU) has clicked 55 years.

In Arusha, organisations and institutions of the AU and other stakeholders had a reflective day at the

premises of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), Dodoma Road here the central message being on waging a relentless war against corruption.

Some of the organisations and institutions of AU are AfCHPR, The African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC), the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) and the African Institute on International Law (AIIL).

AUABC is an autonomous organ established within the AU, in terms of Article 22 of the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.

As this year’s theme of Au is ‘Winning the fight against corruption: Sustainable path for Africa’s transformation’, AUABC was greatly involved in the day that was set aside for discussions and taking decision on the way forward in fighting corruption.

Other regional economic communities and related bodies—also based in Arusha that participated are the East African Community (EAC), Eastern and Southern African Management Institute, the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community and Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau of Tanzania (PCCB).

The UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunal, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, media, schools, colleges and universities, among others, also joined in the celebrations to mark the founding of the AU.

Ms Martha Munthali is the AUABC Senior Policy Officer, Economics and Statistics who says Africa Day is primarily intended to celebrate and acknowledge the success of OAU/AU since its inception.

At inception, she says, the OAU sought to fight colonialism and apartheid that had dotted many countries in Africa then.

“Colonialism and apartheid are now history, but as we celebrate Africa Day, we seriously reflect on the progress we have made, as Africans, on various fronts. We also reflect on the common challenges that continue to haunt us as we strive for survival in the global community.

Ms Munthali notes that Africa is known for her natural beautiful scenery that has attracted millions of people from all over the world, adding that the beauty that nature has bestowed on the continent could not be overlooked.

She says in the advent of AU there has been promotion of peace and harmony among the people – with a population of over one billion in 54 independent nations, the continent boasting of being the second largest in surface area.

Within the framework of AU, Africans are able to go back to their roots and empower one another regardless of their cultural and ethnic diversities.

“We are therefore truly fortunate to call this land, we call Africa, home. We are celebrating the Africa Day in light of the 2018 running theme: ‘Winning the fight against corruption: Sustainable path for Africa’s transformation.

Through this commemorative event, we seek to create, maintain and increase awareness for the public, at large, on the 2018 theme as stated earlier.

We also seek to enhance African unity through activities such as bazaars as one way of showcasing African cultural diversity,” says Ms Munthila.

The senior official says that there is a need to intensify anti-corruption drive because the vice a wide-range of corrosive effects on societies.

In the day that coloured by a round-table discussion, a play and a cultural show, the audience hears that corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violation of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organised crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish.

“As we commemorate Africa Day today we are reminded of the need to intensify our anti-corruption drive as we strive to create an Africa that is not corrupt.

At the continental level, we are being led in this cause by His Excellency, President Muhamadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Buhari is our champion for 2018 as the anti-corruption year,” says Ms Munthali.

She warns that corruption is a critical element in economic underperformance and major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development.

She said that in line with the theme of the year – ‘Winning the fight against corruption: Sustainable path for Africa’s transformation’ – it should be Africans’ greatest desire to fight corruption in all aspects of the vice and aim at building a corruption-free Africa.

She called everyone to build a fighting spirit against the scourge of corruption and wish to make all that a reality. “The prosperous Africa we all want will not become a reality unless we fight corruption, among other critical development process.

This is a reality that would save the best for the future generations as well. We look forward to standing together with you all in this fight and offer our utmost support in everything necessary along the way. We believe that there is power in unity and together we can make it happen,” says Ms Munthali.

The Assistant Secretary General of PAPU, Mr Kolawale Raheem said thanks speakers and discussants and the audience who listened with keen interest to insight on corruption, as all explored the broader issue of governance.

He said all agree that corruption remains a political, economic and social scourge, regardless of whether it is practiced individually or collectively, in the public sector or in the private sector.

Mr Raheem notes that combating corruption comes along with numerous challenges; for businesses–it involves compliance with rules of fair competition that foster innovation and operating in a healthy business environment that is conducive to the smooth running of a market economy.

For customers, it involves access to quality products and services at no additional cost while for the citizens, it lies in the integrity and stability of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

He says corruption undermined the virtues and standards of democracy by substituting private interests for public interests. Undermining the foundations of the rule of law, negating the principles of equality and transparency.

Restricting access to public resources to a privileged and secretive few. He underscores that good governance should be a core theme in Africa’s development discourse.

The AUABC was created on 26th May 2009 under Article 22 (1) of The Convention. The organ bases its work on the provisions of the legal instrument and in this regard, it is the unique continental organization mandated by the AU to deal with corruption and related themes in Africa.

The Board is currently composed of 10 members, namely from Chad (chairperson), Algeria (vice-chairperson), Benin (rapporteur) while Burkina Faso, Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Egypt are members.

The mission of the AU-ABC is to promote and encourage adoption and application of anti-corruption measures on the continent; collect and document information on the nature and scope of corruption and related offenses in Africa; develop methodologies for analyzing the nature and extent of corruption in Africa, and disseminate information and sensitize the public on the negative effects of corruption and related offenses.

It also entails to advise governments on how to deal with the scourge of corruption and related offenses in their domestic jurisdictions; collect information and analyze the conduct and behavior of multi-national corporations operating in Africa and disseminate such information to national authorities.

Designated, develop and promote the adoption of harmonized codes of conduct of public officials; build partnerships with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, African civil Society, governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to facilitate dialogue in the fight against corruption and related offences.

Its mission also is to submit a report to Executive Council on a regular basis on the progress made by each State Party in complying with the provisions of this Convention and perform any other task relating to corruption and related offences that may be assigned to it by the policy organs of the AU.

Its vision is to be, by 2020, an efficient organization that provides pertinent support to member states in the sustainable implementation of the AU Convention and the fight against corruption in Africa.