Corruption accounts for 18-20% of loss from government budgets in some East African Countries

 

Despite efforts over the past decades , there is still wide spread prevalence of corruption in public service structures and as a consequence corruption is now recognized as one of the major governance and development obstacle to poverty eradication. Corruption has affected both the quality of social service delivery and business development.

According to UNDC corruption impedes economic growth by discouraging foreign and domestic investment, taxing and dampening entrepreneurship, lowering the quality of public infrastructure, decreasing tax revenues, diverting public talent into rent-seeking, and distorting the composition of public expenditure.  Transparency international and World Bank reports indicate that government officials estimate that each fiscal year, corruption is responsible for a 18-20% loss from the government’s budget. In some  cases the total resources lost corruption can finance an entire sector such as health for more than a year.

Corruption is ranked as a major impediment to doing business and investment in economic sectors which could generate sustainable development. The weak accountability mechanisms have increased the level of risk of corruption in public service.  In a nutshell key government institutions like the Judiciary and law enforcement are under ‘capture’ by acts of corruption and bribery which has seen these institutions ranked consistently as the most corrupt for the years. Our activities under this project focus on working with institutions, citizens and communities to fight corruption via.

  • Research Analysis and publications on corruption and accountability
  • Analysis and dissemination of National  Public Finance  reports
  • Training on  anti corruption, Public Expenditure Tracking (PET) and Social Accountability
  • Publication of National Bribery Indexes (Sectoral and Institutional)
  • Support of  Youth, school and Higher Institutions of learning anti Corruption clubs and competitions such as the Corruption moot court, National Essay Competitions etc.
  • National and Regional Convenings

 

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