The African Union Advisory Board on Corruption

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daniel_mollel

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I am glad to be back at the Forum but this time introducing to the members a newly established Diplomatic Mission in Arusha based at the Arusha International Conference Center the Serengeti Wing 3rd and 7th Floors.

This is the African Union Organ with the vision to prevent and combat corruption in the entire Africa and is ratified by at least 34 countries out of 54. The convention was signed a while a go and on 9th Dec, 2013 the continent will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC).

As I have mentioned above the seat is at Arusha since February, 2013 and the Anniversary will also be held in Arusha whereas different activities will be held including debates and speech from different invited guests and stakeholders on the fight against corruption.

This is a step ahead for the African Continent to have at least seen the need to start fighting corruption and of-cause start the board practically after it being in convention for a decade. Apart from it being a big step, I hope the pain by political leaders wont affect the function of the board thus vast with more powers and support to practically fighting corruption and free the Africans from poverty and underdevelopment.

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A good move by AU, however problem will be at the red colour! All in all, İ hope it will be a board of african by majority and not african by rich politician
 
SHERRIF ARPAIO said:
Combating corruption in Africa is like trying to get a change from a penny!
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I like this, I have a challenge I would like to pause on this argument, "How best can Africa undertake the fight against corruption and which approach might be more effective?".
 
daniel_mollel said:
I like this, I have a challenge I would like to pause on this argument, "How best can Africa undertake the fight against corruption and which approach might be more effective?".
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The foremost challenge is to have democratic general elections which is key to all political mayhems and power struggle in many African countries even to those countries where by perception election seems to have been carried democratically meanwhile it is not.

Again another challenge is a developing new-feudalism colonialism which creates the very same thing 'power struggle' for personal interest and not the interests of the society which in turn lead to a fight for a win win strategy at any cost then corruption and abuse of power comes in.

The third point is the non compliance to the international conventions/treaties and requirements even of the very same African Union itself and basically the loopholes are within the system it like let say the non interference of internal matter which provide rooms for abuse of human rights, violations of the constitutions of which external bodies are not required or precisely do not have mandate to intervene except express their opinions and actually very few are eager to do so while rest with fear to create misunderstandings and poor relationship then why bother
while you are safe at hope, just congratulate him and then business as usual.

Another factor is betrayal
Africans leaders individually each one avoid a finger be pointed to him that whenever you raise matter of concern towards a given country then the matter will be left to be a personal business of the raiser and the plaintiff. it could not require an Angle to come down and tell the African leaders that the verbal attack of the Rwanda president to the Tanzania president would have to be 'cursed' with a resolution at the AU, as even the statement itself of advising him to find peaceful was made at one of the AU sessions.
Under similar circumstances it is even hard to deal with corruption issues in Africa except if these issues at least are addressed

We have to know that African problems will be solved by Africans themselves no solution set will ever be imported to deal with our problem and the majority are not ready
 

It is a wonderful explanation, what if we start planning to eradicate corruption strategically hopping to having it achieved in 50 years time to come? will it work? Important here is not the betterment of Africa during our era I would think to have ten decades to come freed from corruption. Those creatures will definitely read the history and feel very sorry or proud of the current Africa but; wont they feel very proud or sad on themselves and their situation?
 

I concur with you on the long term strategy surely that can work and as you can see most of the challenges troubling us is in one way or another linked to the independence struggle era and with time the new generation if properly tuned to a proper direction, corruption may be a story. but also it is very unfortunate that even the new generation is more focused to earning money even before they think of their career something which didn't happen in the past and at the end they are carried away by the materialism focus of the current generation. But all in all the entry point in changing the entire story will definitely start at the new generation
 
You have most of these African heads of states who are literally very powerful, filthy rich, untouchable and are just above the law, orchestrating and quarterbacking grand corruption schemes behind the scenes with their network of inner circles. You know that more than I do.
I wonder who (within AU)came up with this idea of advisory board on corruption. In my own opinion AU is a just a debating society, and a waste of tax payers money, and has to be scrapped.
Is this advisory board capable of exposing, indicting and ultimately prosecute any African head of state on grand corruption charges? I bet the answer is NO. We don't wanna have another tooth-less German shepherd in our backyard
 

Thank you for your time to outline your ideas. I want just to take you further over the subject matter, find the treaty and I will assist you on that for your better understanding, then I am kindly asking your suggestions because if we all think that way, can we now sleep and wait for Jesus to come back or take some initiatives to even address the problem?

Second do you adopt that idea or you think it is sterile in practice to fighting against corruption in Africa and if yes; what do you think should be the best approach? I myself was very much impressed with the idea that's why I brought it before the forum for further studies and better advice as we are all African. I would rather think it is more important to support the great ideas to free the African continent from corruption. Ideally it is important to look at the continent in a broad prospectus thus forget about our era and think about the far future generations.

I am worried they might be or not grateful to read the history of the previous Africa in comparison to their own and as well being grateful or not to their current continent and situation; that to me is most important than criticizing the current leadership, I remind you that; "you can never teach an old dog new techniques!" lets think more broad in terms of gradualism in changes. Lets invest into children of our grand children to have the best Africa. I will help you with the website that can supply you with the convention, strategic plan and other more documents that I believe will be very useful to great thinkers like you, I like your arguments. www.auanticorruption.org. If it is offline; then google, African Union Advisory Board on Corruption.
 
I do believe a formidable weapon to combat corruption in any country under the sun depends on the constitution and, or, the rule of law. Do we have the rule of law in most of these African states?
 
SHERRIF ARPAIO said:
I do believe a formidable weapon to combat corruption in any country under the sun depends on the constitution and, or, the rule of law. Do we have the rule of law in most of these African states?
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Thank you once again, but what can we do? we must think that way; is it enough to just say we do not have the rule of law, I believe that will never be a solution to our problems, I think it is time for all of us to start doing something for Africa, starting from the country level and beyond that I am so much afraid that if non of us starts the engine, this vessel will sink forever.
 
daniel_mollel,

welcome back. I had by passed this thread for a couple days but today after I reading it I realise its
pregnant with debate material and its worth sticking.

My question is, who is calling the shots on this thing because as you know its the one who pays the
piper that gets his music played? It's a insurmountable challenge you got up there...bringing African
countries together is like tryna carry water in a basket....Not that it is impossible, but is a huge
challenge. Right here on the homefront we have seen the bickering amongst EAC member states and
how thier 'unity' is nothing but a fleeting illusion. Now talk about the whole of Africa?..kazi ipo!

As Balacuda, opined up there...the key is free and fair elections in electing a democratic governement!
Strengthening institutions of governance to be beholden to the people and not 'The Big Man'. Unless
this is put in place, then we are trying to paint the wind.

Pamoja.
 
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I believe it is the interesting debate to discuss on how to free the continent from corruption. I know to many people it sounds like excavating Tanzanite in a sea (illusion) the question is "what is proposed and presented in papers worth enough to release the continent from the parasite?"

If what is in papers worth enough, how do we re-enforce the whole process, if it does't worth what is missing and how do we achieve the mission. I believe the lice in somebody's body bit him up and is him who should get rid of after getting tired of. If we aren't tired; then we suggest here when do we think we will fill the pinch; and that will sound a big step, but criticisms are sounds without rhythm or harmony because no where in the world where a neighbor in any case can clean the neighbor's house unless by external forces like diseases e.t.c. We African are very much responsible to our own continent and we should not run away from this problem

To my understanding, external forces can start acting after certain applications, there will never be any miracle on this. For any support there must be a practical request made, when you are robed in your home and your family, the police will always start investigation prior to your report, then apart from criticizing that you're robed it is again your own responsibility to report to the law enforcement authorities.

With those few remarks, I will still argue that let us start doing something on our own as part of our responsibilities without thinking about this era, lets focus 5 to 10 decades ahead and wait for them to dance. We should start the drums ourselves than waiting to the dance.
 
Just consider the other destructing factors which in one way or another drive our attention much away from the political process which is leading to good governance, accountability and good leadership. for example just consider WB, IMF policies without doubt are highly demanding for our governments (African) to have these corruption issues and all the messy like governance, transparency and so many you name it be addressed.....the big giants advocating for these are the very ones who are indirectly catalyzing for their presence.

You may wonder what am I do mean here. Look! Within the scope of the requirements of these massive interest based aids to Africa, there is a package of rules which contradicts and conflicts with our long term goals to pursue corruption elimination

For example let say my country has abundant of resources and if I could have ideal support, I can have mechanisms to struggle and at last to stand with my own two feet? But to the contrary the big fishes (with support from IMF, WB, European Bank) demand that to create investments opportunities (free markets) whereby the local investors find themselves with no opportunity to fit in the competition, ok they want taxes to be reduced if not be eliminated despite that at the end of the year they will ending up posting return of billions with negative numbers (loss)

Worse enough the investors coming down here in Africa for free market opportunities get loans from the very same institutions which deny us loans of that nature ( They provide aids not capital loans)

Then they force us to have no power in a business deal, and you know why? They are maximizing the returns so that they can pay back the loans at their governments and the international financial institutions. Take consideration for example you bring you capital for investment, well and good but that can be necessary that the capital to be part of the business deal? Why? Then at the end if we are lucky enough, we just receive 3% of the net profit and all the resources gone! So in a nutshell you can easily see that the governance and whatever they are advocating for is to create rooms to exercise their agenda, and nothing else. While the government will now be struggling to get aids to subside the government budget while citizens are suffering from multiple social and economical problems, it quite difficulty you will be able to deal with even the normal petty corruption in the entire system from top all the way to the grassroots.

Look we the citizens are paying a lot of taxes to run the government be services remain poor, no one care, always force is used to get things done, so out of frustration and desperation every one try as much as he/she can to seize any opportunity which can lead him/her to earn an extra income (Corruption) while the government is struggling to keep whatever it get to repay for the aid loan and interest accrued.

Issues to consider now as part of a solution

African countries should develop institutions/bodies to counter the big giants and I believe there should be a union of these nature no one can be shy to say that this and this is not right rather than when you are in isolation where you will be afraiding of the tomorrow consequence (budget cut) or be rated low with the FOB, or Standard & Poors that this country is not good for investment.
These institution can be like Africa resources bank (that whatever you do or an investor want to do, then the investor has to conform to a set of rules/policies/requirements such that to go ahead with the investment. you now these people started the WB, IMF and so and so in order to 'kill' us economically then why then shouldn't we (the Africans) start our own counter mechanism?

Few leaders of the vision were immediately eliminated by injection of the venom of aids to some few individuals within the system. We have seen this in Libya, now DRC and so forth

To me this could be the best entry point in tackling corruption in Africa than dealing with the system while leaving trouble makers outside. It will be like just trying to dry a lake by using a flask while mighty rivers are pouring in.
 

Balacuda big up! very constructive argument. I would like to add one more point in what you have narrated. Lets invest in schools and create our own atmosphere to the children there in, teach them all these nasty techniques by giants and recommend to them the better approach, inject to them Panafricanism and responsibility, show them evidently the consequences of dependent countries and like wise, make them hate corruption and wait for changes.

Create the market of goods within the African continent and sell excess to the giants; surfer for a while like China and live longer a KING!, in reality life is possible without money, a good example are many people in Africa who lives in villages, they get money seasonally and some times never at all. Lets create the unselfish environment among ourselves and wait for the big results!
 

I wonder how teachers would be motivated enough to propagate and instill the so called "Panafricanism and responsibility" to children while they are extremely ill-paid. I like some of your ideas, but I'm kind of pessimistic when it comes to implement them across Africa. Please educate me on your notion that life can be possible without money
 

This is why I like you Sherrif...you are a realist. What we have here is idealism at play. Lets see who blinks
first. As the wisemen said, dont bite more than you can chew.
 
I doubt if it will work because African leaders tend to protect one another. If one leader is corrupt, nothing will happen. Probably this organ will be fighting low level corruption involving unknown common men as TAKUKURU does in Tanzania, but not the really corruption that involves the big fish. Whenever a big fish is involved, these guys will ask for anyone who has evidence to come forward! No investigation is conducted in that case.
 
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