Protests in Kenya and Uganda Unmask Corruption at the Highest Levels
The recent protests by young people in Kenya and Uganda have shone a spotlight on a particularly insidious form of corruption: political corruption. Unlike administrative or bureaucratic corruption, where a civil servant might solicit a bribe for a public service, political corruption is far more challenging to combat. This type of corruption is perpetrated by individuals who wield significant political power and influence, making it difficult to address as they have both the incentive and the means to resist efforts to curb it.
Political corruption occurs at the highest levels of the political system, involving decision-makers who have the power to define laws and regulations. These include elected politicians, government ministers, and politically appointed senior civil servants. When these individuals abuse their public power for personal gain, divert public funds for personal use, or exert influence to benefit private businesses they have a stake in, it constitutes political corruption.
One of the less discussed but equally critical aspects of political corruption is the use of ill-gotten proceeds and state funds to maintain or extend power. This includes practices such as buying support, capturing oversight institutions, and using state resources to manipulate elections. Such abuses of power are often accompanied by violence, intimidation, and threats.
The most detrimental impact of political corruption is that it undermines the incentives for power holders to address corruption, as it serves to keep the regime in power. The recent protests in Kenya and Uganda are significant because they highlight the issue and put pressure on power holders. For example, the Kenyan president has announced reforms to tackle political corruption, but history shows that corrupt power holders often fight back and can even hijack anti-corruption efforts to serve their own ends.
In various African countries, political corruption manifests in numerous ways, from vote-buying in Kenya to military corruption in Uganda, and campaign financing and vote-buying in Malawi. This issue is not unique to Africa, with protests against political corruption also occurring in Slovakia, Albania, Hungary, and Iraq this year.
Despite the global challenge of political corruption, the world is seeing a retreat in democracy. Data from the World Bank shows little improvement in citizen participation in government and freedom of expression in sub-Saharan Africa. This indicates that political corruption is a significant barrier to democratic development.
The recent protests offer a chance to examine the African anti-corruption movement’s challenges. Anti-corruption efforts can be politicized, used to target political opponents, or manipulated to protect corrupt leaders. To address these risks, a two-pronged approach is suggested, involving direct anti-corruption interventions tailored to local conditions and broader accountability and democracy reforms.
Efforts to combat political corruption must consider the political economy of the regime and work towards building accountability and democracy. Corruption is a form of power abuse, and fighting it is an essential part of the broader struggle for democracy, equality, and justice.
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Protests in Kenya and Uganda Unmask Corruption at the Highest Levels
