BY YANTA DANIEL ELISHA
Corruption has become as contagious as the novel COVID-19 virus which engulfed the whole world in recent times. The infectious nature of corruption, catching and eating the globe suggests the possibility of immunization against it.
What remains a puzzle is the wonder of whether corruption can be vaccinated. If yes, how, who does it and why?
Today, Juba, the newest capital city in the world, has magnified corruption together with the corrupt to the size of a rodent; a rat. Rats are skilled at solving complex problems such as navigating mazes and finding hidden food.
“Rats are capable of solving complex problems including those that require planning and decision-making”, according to scholars; Kolb B. and Whishaw I.Q (2011). Rats could have been the problem-solvers for South Sudan’s complexities instead. A rat could be one of the best political symbols for a party aiming at solving the country’s political, economic, and social ills. Much as “rats can cause significant property damage including gnawing on wires and damaging insulation”, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA, 2020); liking them to the corrupt seems an incitement of hatred for one of the most intelligent animal species on earth. I pray animal rights lawyers do not sue Juba against such incitement. Corruption is as old as history.
Corruption has existed throughout human history in various cultures. The worst scenario to highlight heritage in particular about culture is that it is not subject to amendment because it is an inherent way of life in society. Like the Coronavirus, the concept of corruption was first attributed to Ancient China and traced to its mention in the Confucian classics around 500 BCE. Just spreading as wildfire, corruption engulfed Ancient Greece, where democracy was born. It became a common practice in ancient Greek politics and governance. Without any shame, corruption like the virus of recent times did not spare the papal territory, where the Holy Father of the Catholics sits. It became widespread in Ancient Rome, especially during the imperial period. Max Weber 1864-1920, a German sociologist who studied bureaucracy and the role of corruption in governance enlightened the world about the horrible, yet normalized vice of society.
Later, an American economist, Robert Klitgaard in 1941 developed the concept of ‘corruption as a principal-agent problem’, which calls for ultimate attention. Yet, nobody bothered to control the spread of corruption to the sacred land of the black race, where the dead are not dead. The dead just rest speechless and show up in dreamers’ arenas at tough times; signaling warnings or instructions of a serious nature. The land requires appeasement where there is any slight mess on it. Nevertheless, today, the very black even commit corruption on top of the tombs of the resting ancestors without fear of fury from spirituality.
“Corruption is like cancer, it eats away the fabric of society, often invisibly”, Transparency International cries out.
So, is corruption an invisible weevil also that Grace Okurut writes about, in Ugandan society?
The World Bank laments; “Corruption is a hidden tax on growth and development”.
Have I not paid USD 200 for an express passport process since April 2024 and yet have not received it up to date? How express is the express passport. Have you ever thought about why some military and political elites collapsed and died in South Sudan? Could corruption have frustrated them to death? The corrupt are murderers, then. The World Bank has testified in a real-life case. So, have some people been denied travel opportunities overseas by corrupt practices? What a human rights violation!
Corruption is a virus. No one sees it with the naked eye. It occurs in secret, hence; making it difficult to detect. Corruption is deeply rooted in systems like family, customs, governments, and institutions to the extent that it makes it complex and hard to address. Insufficient information and secrecy conceal corrupt activities completely.
To what extent does corruption remain a secret?
The gospel truth of the bible states; “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open,” Luke 8: 17.
The human in the image of the all-knowing God makes the hidden secrets exposed as well.
East Africa, the land of the undying ancestors has experienced corruption ordeals, causing damage to economies, societies, and individuals. East Africa, according to the African Development Bank loses at least US Dollars 50 billion annually to corruption. Kenya, alone, loses US Dollars six billion yearly to corruption, Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has disclosed.
“Corruption is a major obstacle to economic growth and development in East Africa”, decries Transparency International.
In a fresh history, in the 1990s, Kenya’s Goldenberg Scandal; a financial scam involving government officials and businesspeople happened resulting in a loss of USD one billion, which was a dream to some people at that time and even today. Uganda’s OPM Scandal in 2012, where government officials and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) robbed USD 50 million happened. In 2014, Tanzania’s Escrow Scandal involving government officials and businesspeople caused the loss of USD 600 million. It is now common knowledge that corruption is a destroyer of life and economy as the COVID-19 virus, which equally has elevated poverty and inequality in East Africa.
The question resonates with the resonance of corruption from ancient times to contemporary times; what must be done to hunt down the corruption virus? Just a few months ago, Uganda lost USD 3.8 million to corruption in an Iron Sheet Saga. Government officials such as the Minister of State for Relief and Disaster Preparedness and the Permanent Secretary; supposedly to be persons of integrity embezzled iron sheets meant for the construction of houses for vulnerable groups such as war veterans and internally displaced persons in Karamoja. Such corruption cases erode trust in Uganda’s government and its people, derail development, and highlight the intensity of the matter to address at the earliest convenience through possible vaccination.
The invisible weevil; corruption has earned Uganda’s speaker of parliament, sanctions from the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). The sanctions are of course detrimental to Uganda as a nation in terms of international relations and diplomacy and shameful to Africa’s image as a continent. The slam of sanctions on government leaders has never brought down corruption to any recognizable degree.
Imagine, even, the youngest nation in East Africa, South Sudan leads as the most corrupt country in the region with widespread corruption and lack of effective institutions.
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2020) ranked South Sudan 179 out of 180 countries with a score of 12 out of 100. Between 2005 and 2014, the Global Witness reported that South Sudan lost USD four billion from oil revenues. Festus Mogae, the former Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) says;
“Corruption is a major obstacle to peace, stability, and development in South Sudan”.
Such suggests the highest degree of corruption in the region and globally.
Like elsewhere in the world, corruption continues to manifest itself in various proportions through practices such as a patient being conditioned to pay a bribe to a doctor to access medical treatment in a public hospital. A businessperson bribes an official to secure a government contract. A police officer in a white over-green khaki pair of trousers demands a payoff from a bus driver to avoid a fine. A businessperson forges transaction documents to deceive others for personal gains or evades payment of taxes. A politician hires a relative, friend, or tribe mate for a government position without merit. Overall corruption contributes to high mortality rates and decreasing standards of living globally.
Who then can fight an endemic corruption when those entrusted to deter it are entangled?
Governments all over the world have not done enough to eliminate corruption. Corruption, instead eliminates the governments through popular uprisings and demonstrations like the recent attempted protests against corruption in Kampala, which the Uganda Police and military cracked down on the pretext of preserving public order and patriotism as opposed to the Western world agenda setting.
The common saying; “Set a thief to catch a thief,” does not seem to work well with the fight against corruption. Many East African countries have established anti-corruption agencies, but their effectiveness is watered down by a lack of resources and political will. Diplomats and civil society activists have been trying to advocate and promote transparency and accountability, but corruption flames up as wildfire does. It exhibits the behavior of tornadoes in the Western world. Does corruption require an extinguisher? The church does refer the cases of corruption to God in the Sunday worship saying; “O God, you are the defender of the widow and the fatherless, and the champion of the oppressed. We pray for all who suffer from corruption and abuse of power. Give us the courage to stand up for what is right, and wisdom to know how to bring about justice and equality for all. May our society be free from corruption, and may we work together to build a world where all can live with dignity and respect. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Opening the newspapers and online media on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we read corruption stories on the front pages. Why is God silent to our prayers? Are our prayers sincere enough to be receptive and God-responsive? Is He pushing our referrals back to us? Is God patiently giving humanity more time to reform? Or is He waiting to rule over the matter on Judgement Day? The mosque through its minaret echoes the loudest prayer for protection from corruption saying; “O Allah, I seek refuge in you from corruption on earth and from corruption within myself” (“Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min al-fasadi fi al-ardhi wa al-fasadi fi al-nafsi”).
Tirmidhi states; “The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, ‘When there is a lot of corruption and mischief in a society, and the people do not change, then Allah sends His punishment upon them’”.
Is the world predestined to the punishment from Allah or God?
Yet, during a lifetime, people reap curses from corruption, and after death, the corrupt will be thrown into a lake of fire as Revelations Chapter 20: Verse 15 indicates. It is a clear case that God punishes the world for its evil, the wicked for their guilt as Prophet Isaiah, who prophesied God’s punishment for the Sudan indicates in Isaiah Chapter 13: Verse 11. There awaits the worst punishment after death. The dead shall arise to either eternal life or shame and eternal contempt as Prophet Daniel pronounces (Daniel 12:2).
Who can save humanity from corruption to escape the lake of fire?
Teachers and journalists, charged with the noble responsibility to inform, educate, and entertain are the only panacea for human salvation from corruption through integrity education as a vaccination.
Integrity is the quality of being honest, moral, and principled with a strong sense of ethics and values. Integrity involves consistency between words, actions, beliefs, and commitment to doing the right thing even when it is difficult or unpopular.
“Integrity is the foundation upon which all other values are built. It is the quality of being honest, trustworthy and morally upright”, according to The Oxford English Dictionary. So, integrity is the vaccine for corruption.
Integrity education is an educational approach, which focuses on the development of moral character, ethical values, and responsible behaviors.
The World Bank defines integrity education as one that is about cultivating a sense of responsibility, respect, and empathy and encouraging individuals to act with integrity in all aspects of life. Integrity education refers to the process of teaching and learning values, principles, and practices, which promote ethical behavior, honesty, and responsibility.
Transparency International has confirmed what integrity education does, saying;
“Integrity education is the foundation upon which a corruption-free society is built”.
Singapore’s Minister of Education reaffirms; “Values-based education is key to shaping a generation of ethical leaders”.
How can integrity education be implemented to vaccinate society against corruption?
Integrate values-based learning into the national education system by incorporating ethics, morals, and values into school curricula.
Equip teachers through training to teach integrity values effectively.
Engage students to participate in integrity-promoting activities like debates and community service to showcase social responsibility. Encourage parents to reinforce integrity values at home by identifying the most honest, disciplined, and respectful son or daughter and then rewarding him or her with something precious.
Monitor student understanding and application of integrity values.
Encourage teachers to award some percentage scores for students of integrity in coursework and examinations.
Students should play role exercises to act out scenarios requiring integrity decisions.
Analyze and dramatize real-life corruption cases to understand the root causes and the consequences.
Students should form integrity clubs to promote integrity values and activities in society.
Foster a culture of integrity in schools and families through encouraging ethical leadership, civic engagement, and mass education.
Integrity education is the most effective vaccination against corruption because its piloting in Singapore and Kenya has produced success stories. Singapore’s Education System emphasizes moral education, character development, and values-based learning and so far, the corruption virus there has been contained significantly.
Singapore is one of the consistently least corrupt nations worldwide. The National University of Singapore study in 2020 found that Singapore’s integrity education programs in schools had a significant impact on student’s attitudes and behaviors, with 95 percent of the participants demonstrating a strong understanding of integrity values. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2020) ranked Singapore the fourth least corrupt country out of 180, with a score of 85 out of 100. Singapore’s corruption-free success story is attributed to its strong emphasis on integrity and accountability.
“Integrity is a fundamental value that underpins our society, and education plays a critical role in instilling this value in our young”, affirms Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Minister of Education.
Why can’t East Africa freely borrow the idea to vaccinate itself against corruption?
Equally, Kenya’s Integrity Education Programme in response to previous horrible corruption scandals trained teachers to integrate integrity values into their teaching of every subject and lesson. A Kenyan National Integrity Alliance study in 2020 found that integrity education programs in schools had a positive impact on students’ attitudes and behaviors, with 80 percent of the participants showing improved integrity scores. Similarly, Transparency International Kenya 2019 Report noted that integrity education had contributed significantly to a decline in corruption cases among the youth. Of course, youth is the solemn optimism of any society. Kenyan National Integrity Alliance Chairperson, Nicholas Ndegwa says; “We need to move from just teaching integrity in schools to living it out in our daily lives”.
Whereas, Transparency International Kenya’s Executive Director, Jane Onyango affirms that; “Integrity education is key to creating a culture of transparency and accountability in Kenya”.
Given adequate resources, equipped teachers, and sufficient community involvement in integrity education, East Africa as a whole will turn a new page of a corruption-free society. Why not?
Professor Deane Neubauer, a co-founder of the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life stresses;
“Education without integrity is like a house without a foundation- it may look good, but it will eventually collapse.”
Corruption persists in society because most of the education systems and the media landscape lack or do not emphasize the component of integrity.
What do experts say about integrity being a vaccine for corruption?
“Integrity is telling myself the truth, and honesty is telling the truth to other people”, Spencer Johnson asserts.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching”, C.S. Lewis observes.
Meanwhile, Warren Buffett states that; “Integrity is the glue that holds organizations and societies together.”
Why can’t integrity prevail in East Africa to crack down on corruption? With unanimous consensus, dear readers as learned scholars like Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister of Nigeria, Jose’ Ugaz, former chairperson of Transparency International, and Giovanni Kessler, former Head of the European Anti-Fraud Office, reaffirm that; “Integrity is the most effective vaccine against corruption.”
Vaccinate against corruption to flee the wrath of God and humanity. Integrity education is the remedy to corruption. Integrity protects and prevents society from corruption as well as combating corruption as Bruce Lee does. For Bruce Lee, is the greatest fighter in human history as integrity is to corruption.
The author is a journalist and an educator with a specialty in English Language and Literature in English as well as a student of Master of Arts in Mass Communication at Victoria University, Kampala-Uganda. He can be reached via yanta30dan3@gmail.com.
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.