Download This PaperReconstructing the Elusive Fight against Corruption in Africa: The Quest to Re-characterize Political Corruption As an International Crime
The International Journal of Business And Management, 8(2), 98-106.
9 Pages Posted: 27 Apr 2020 Last revised: 19 Jun 2020
Date Written: February 20, 2020
Abstract
Corruption remains the major hindrance to prosperity of the African continent in all spheres. It is the single greatest challenge to Africa’s realization of human rights, democracy, economic growth as well as peace and stability. Whereas the anti-corruption discourse dates back to the colonial periods of the various African countries and has continued for decades, no significant progress has been made. The entrenched high levels of corruption in Africa are primarily linked to weak accountability systems and poor leadership by state officials which breeds political corruption. This paper argues that national mechanisms against political corruption in African countries are incapable of being effectively deployed. This is because the perpetrators of political corruption are largely the same ones who constitute African Governments that are supposed to enforce anti-corruption laws. The paper therefore calls for a shift from national mechanisms to international mechanisms for fighting political corruption by re-characterizing political corruption as an international crime and incorporating the same to the Rome Statute.
Keywords: political corruption, corruption in Africa, public sector accountability, international crime
JEL Classification: K33, Z18
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