HARARE
–
Zimbabwe
has
come
out
as
the
worst
corrupt
country
in
SADC
in
2024,
according
to
the
latest
data
from
Transparency
International
coming
only
ahead
of
a
war-torn
DRC.
This
was
also
the
worst
performance
since
2015
when
it
recorded
the
same
score,
the
year
when
US$15
billion
in
diamond
revenues
was
announced
to
be
missing.
In
Africa,
the
country
was
in
the
top
10
of
the
worst
corrupt
nations,
aligned
with
war-torn
countries
like
Sudan,
Somalia
and
Lybia.
This
is
very
concerning
given
the
Second
Republic’s
promise
to
end
corruption
decisively
without
making
any
cow
sacred.
Africa
also
headlined
the
bottom
20
most
corrupt
nations.
This
articles
at
the
later
paragraphs
will
explain
why
Africa
remains
highly
corrupt.
Zimbabwe
has
a
score
of
21
this
year,
with
a
change
of
-3
since
last
year,
meaning
it
ranks
158
out
of
180
countries.
A
country’s
score
is
the
perceived
level
of
public
sector
corruption
on
a
scale
of
0-100,
where
0
means
highly
corrupt
and
100
means
very
clean.
The
data
sources
used
to
compile
the
CPI
specifically
cover
the
manifestations
of
public
sector
corruption
through
bribery,
diversion
of
public
funds,
officials
using
their
public
office
for
private
gain
without
facing
consequences
and
the
ability
of
governments
to
contain
corruption
in
the
public
sector.
It
also
takes
into
account
excessive
red
tape
in
the
public
sector
which
may
increase
opportunities
for
corruption,
nepotistic
appointments
in
the
civil
service,
laws
ensuring
that
public
officials
must
disclose
their
finances
and
potential
conflicts
of
interest,
legal
protection
for
people
who
report
cases
of
bribery
and
corruption,
state
capture
by
narrow
vested
interests
and
access
to
information
on
public
affairs
or
government
activities
After
the
country
notched
its
worst
CPI
ranking
in
2015
,
it
then
improved
to
22
out
of
100
before
reaching
the
best
performances
in
2019,
2020
and
2023
with
a
score
of
24
out
of
100.
The
Corruption
Perceptions
Index
(CPI)
is
the
most
widely
used
global
corruption
ranking
in
the
world.
It
measures
how
corrupt
each
country’s
public
sector
is
perceived
to
be,
according
to
experts
and
businesspeople.
Each
country’s
score
is
a
combination
of
at
least
3
data
sources
drawn
from
13
different
corruption
surveys
and
assessments.
These
data
sources
are
collected
by
a
variety
of
reputable
institutions,
including
the
World
Bank
and
the
World
Economic
Forum.
CPI
scores
do
not
reflect
the
views
of
Transparency
International
or
its
staff.
Anti-corruption
efforts
continue
to
tilt
towards
the
developed
countries
of
Europe,
while
Russia
and
China,
Zimbabwe’s
iron-clad
revolutionary
allies
also
recorded
worrisome
results.
For
the
seventh
year
in
a
row,
Denmark
heads
the
ranking,
with
a
score
of
90.
Finland
and
Singapore
took
the
second
and
third
spots,
with
scores
of
88
and
84,
respectively.
Scoring
83,
New
Zealand
was
outside
the
top
three
positions
for
the
first
time
since
2012,
but
remained
in
the
top
10,
together
with
Luxembourg
,
Norway,
Switzerland
,
Sweden
,
the
Netherlands,
Australia,
Iceland
and
Ireland.
Meanwhile,
countries
experiencing
conflict
and
with
highly
restricted
freedoms
and
weak
democratic
institutions
occupied
the
bottom
of
the
index.
South
Sudan
(8),
Somalia
(9)
and
Venezuela
(10)
took
the
last
three
spots.
Syria
(12),
Equatorial
Guinea
(13),
Eritrea
(13),
Libya
(13),
Yemen
(13),
Nicaragua
(14),
Sudan
(15)
and
North
Korea
(15)
complete
the
list
of
lowest
scorers.
Since
2012,
32
countries
have
significantly
improved
their
scores
on
the
index
and
are
now
seen
as
having
less
corruption.
Over
the
same
period,
47
countries
made
significant
losses.
These
decliners
include
some
high-scoring
democracies,
like
the
United
States
(65)
and
New
Zealand
(83),
as
well
as
autocratic
states
like
Russia
(22)
and
Eswatini
(27).
The
countries
that
saw
improvements
include
Moldova
(43),
Kuwait
(46)
and
Uruguay
(76).
Why
is
Africa
Considered
the
Most
Corrupt
Continent?
An
Analysis
of
Corruption
Africa
is
often
perceived
as
the
most
corrupt
continent,
with
corruption
deeply
entrenched
in
many
of
its
political,
economic,
and
social
systems.
While
it
is
important
to
note
that
corruption
exists
globally,
Africa’s
unique
historical,
political,
and
economic
challenges
have
exacerbated
the
problem.
Factors
such
as
weak
democratic
institutions,
leaders
who
refuse
to
relinquish
power,
nepotism
in
awarding
contracts
and
widespread
bribery
have
contributed
to
this
perception.
Statistics
and
examples
from
various
African
countries
highlight
the
extent
of
the
issue.
Lack
of
Democracy
and
Leaders
Refusing
to
Leave
Power
One
of
the
root
causes
of
corruption
in
Africa
is
the
lack
of
strong
democratic
institutions
and
the
prevalence
of
authoritarian
regimes.
Many
African
leaders
have
clung
to
power
for
decades,
often
manipulating
elections,
suppressing
opposition,
and
undermining
democratic
processes.
This
concentration
of
power
creates
an
environment
where
corruption
thrives,
as
accountability
mechanisms
are
weak
or
nonexistent.
Zimbabwe’s
first
Prime
Minister
and
President,
Robert
Mugabe
ruled
for
37
years
with
penned
widespread
corruption.
It
is
during
his
time
where
US$15
billion
in
diamonds
revenues
disappeared.
When
a
presidents
cling
to
power,
they
often
undermine
or
eliminate
independent
institutions,
such
as
the
judiciary
and
legislature,
which
are
essential
for
maintaining
checks
and
balances.
This
concentration
of
power
leads
to
arbitrary
decision-making
and
a
lack
of
accountability.
At
the
end,
they
manipulate
legal
frameworks
through
bribery
to
extend
terms.
Leaders
may
engage
in
corrupt
practices
themselves
or
tolerate
corruption
among
their
inner
circles
to
reward
loyalty
and
maintain
support.
This
can
create
a
culture
of
impunity
where
corruption
is
normalised.
By
distributing
state
resources
to
loyal
supporters
a
situation
known
as
clientelism,
leaders
can
strengthen
their
base
while
fostering
corruption.
This
clientelist
approach
often
leads
to
the
misallocation
of
public
funds
and
resources.
President
Yoweri
Museveni
has
been
in
power
since
1986,
making
him
one
of
Africa’s
longest-serving
leaders
while
President
Teodoro
Obiang
Nguema
Mbasogo
has
been
in
power
since
1979,
making
him
the
longest-serving
head
of
state
in
the
world.
Both
regimes
have
been
accused
of
siphoning
off
the
country’s
oil
wealth
for
personal
gain,
while
much
of
the
population
lives
in
poverty.
According
to
Transparency
International’s
2024
CPI,
many
African
countries
ranked
poorly,
with
Somalia,
South
Sudan,
and
Equatorial
Guinea
consistently
among
the
lowest-ranked
nations.
The
lack
of
democratic
accountability
in
these
countries
fosters
an
environment
where
corruption
can
flourish.
Nepotism
Nepotism
and
cronyism
are
significant
contributors
to
corruption
in
Africa.
Government
contracts
and
tenders
are
often
awarded
to
family
members,
friends,
or
political
allies,
rather
than
through
transparent
and
competitive
processes.
This
practice
not
only
undermines
economic
development
but
also
perpetuates
inequality
and
erodes
public
trust
in
institutions.
During
Jacb
Zuma’s
administration,
South
Africa
has
been
rocked
by
numerous
corruption
scandals,
including
the
infamous
“State
Capture”
scandal
involving
former
President
Jacob
Zuma.
Investigations
revealed
that
Zuma
and
his
associates
allegedly
siphoned
billions
of
dollars
from
state-owned
enterprises
through
corrupt
tenders
and
contracts.
Companies
linked
to
the
Gupta
family,
close
allies
of
Zuma,
were
awarded
lucrative
government
contracts
without
due
process.
Kenya,
the
latest
most
corrupt
country
in
East
Africa
in
2024has
faced
numerous
scandals
involving
the
misallocation
of
public
funds
and
nepotism
in
tender
processes.
The
“Afya
House”
scandal
in
2016
revealed
that
billions
of
shillings
meant
for
healthcare
were
embezzled
through
fraudulent
tenders
awarded
to
politically
connected
individuals.
Zimbabwe
is
highly
alleged
to
offer
tenders
and
business
contracts
based
on
family
ties
and
political
affiliation,
hence,
corruption
remains
high.
Nigeria’s
oil
sector
has
long
been
plagued
by
corruption,
with
government
officials
and
their
associates
benefiting
from
opaque
tender
processes.
The
2015
investigation
into
the
Nigerian
National
Petroleum
Corporation
(NNPC)
revealed
that
billions
of
dollars
in
oil
revenues
were
unaccounted
for,
with
contracts
often
awarded
to
cronies
of
top
officials.
Bribery
and
Petty
Corruption
Bribery
is
a
pervasive
issue
across
Africa,
affecting
both
public
and
private
sectors.
From
police
officers
demanding
bribes
at
checkpoints,
a
typical
of
Zimbabwe
to
citizens
paying
for
basic
services
like
healthcare
and
education,
petty
corruption
is
a
daily
reality
for
many
Africans.
This
form
of
corruption
disproportionately
affects
the
poor,
who
are
often
forced
to
pay
bribes
to
access
essential
services.
According
to
the
Global
Corruption
Barometer,
over
40%
of
Zimbabweans
report
paying
bribes
to
access
public
services.
The
police
and
judiciary
being
identified
as
the
most
corrupt
institutions.
In
2023,
Zimbabwe
ranked
157th
out
of
180
countries
on
the
CPI,
with
bribery
and
embezzlement
of
public
funds
being
major
issues.— EquityAxis