via Majority of Africans Unhappy With Anti-Corruption Efforts VOA News November 13, 2013
A study finds a majority of Africans are displeased by government efforts to fight corruption, and that many are still paying bribes to get basic services.
In the study by the independent research firm Afrobarometer, 56 percent of those surveyed said their governments are doing a poor job of battling corruption. Nigeria, Egypt and Zimbabwe got the worst ratings, while Malawi, Lesotho and Botswana got the best.
About 30 percent reported paying a bribe at least once in the past year, often to receive medical treatment, a required document, or to avoid a problem with police.
Among state institutions, police got the worst ratings, with 81 percent saying some or all of them are involved in corruption. Negative perceptions were highest in Nigeria, Kenya and Sierra Leone.
The study also found that poor people pay bribes more often than the middle class or wealthy.
Afrobarometer says its findings are based on surveys of more than 51,000 people in 34 African countries, done between October 2011 and June of this year.
The organization, which has partner groups in many African countries, conducts regular surveys to track trends in public attitudes.
Last month, it released a study that said despite reported high levels of economic growth, most Africans are still deprived of basics like clean water, food, and medicine. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed said they had gone without cash income at least once in the previous year.
COMMENTS
Corruption across all levels—a perfect storm of national suffering and despair. Does it therefore mean that as Africans we are naturally backward? I don’t think so, I think that this term has been abused by Africa’s leaders to avoid scrutiny, to hide corruption and protect political vested interests – as is the case in Zimbabwe.Is it the impact of the restrictive measures? Is it because of the well-documented and rampant corruption that has virtually become a way of life in Zimbabwe? Is it because of bad politics?There is no need for political change, they claim, because Zimbabwe is a democracy. Meanwhile, millions of their fellow countrymen continue to suffer, subsisting in abject poverty and fearful uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring. The nation] has now become a monumental museum of failure. The air is fraught with frustration, with anger, with despair, and some people have just given up.
As A former member of Anti Corruption before MDC politicized it.
The mdc led anti corruption did not process even one case.
Now when a new one is formed hopefully on the same lines as the old one pre MDC we have a chance.
How MDC could even haver gone to election with all the looting amongst members and their anti corruption officials asleep on purpose is unreal.
In the years their officials were there not to process one case is really hard to achieve you have to be really corrupt to achieve this.
Yeap, thanks God, after 33 years, now that MDC is no longer in power and have this new most promising glorious government things will get much-much better. Correct? This MDC did everything to Zimbabwe.
John, where exactly does the MDC come in? Mugabe of Zanu PF sowed the seeds of corruption and lovingly tendered them to fruition. When the Sandura Commission investigated Willowgate Mugabe pardoned the culprits.
He did the same with those who defrauded the war victims compensation fund of $450 million in 8 months. Among them is police commissioner chihuri who claimed to be 90% disabled.
His own wife Grace defrauded the civil servants housing fundof $4 million even though she had not contributed a single cent.
In fact, Mugabe has never been able to explain how he was able to build the palatial residence he lives in when he had no business interests.
So, if there is evidence of corruption among MDC officials, what did the head of state and government and commander in chief of the Zimbabwe defence forces do about? Zilch because he is the main culprit in the whole sorry saga.
Yes John.that this monster called MDC is no longer in govt all shall be well with us, just like b4 the GNU was formed when they were out of govt.
They may be upset, but if everyone just did not pay then it would go away
Africans are not putting up a fight against corruption. The level of intimidation is overwhelming especially in Zimbabwe, we have a long way to go in fighting this cancer.