26 Aug 2014

Botswana still considers corruption as one of the stumbling blocks towards achievement of economic and social development, hence the continued efforts to strengthen good governance across all sectors of the economy as well as promoting partnership in the fight against corruption.

The deputy director general (policy) of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Corruption (DCEC), Ms Botlhale Makgekgenene said partnering has been identified as a cornerstone of the national fight against corruption.

Giving a keynote address at the launch on Anti-Corruption Policy Statement for Industrial Court of Botswana lrecently in Gaborone, Ms Makgekgenene noted that other stakeholders should be mobilised to integrate anti-corruption initiatives in their systems as this would help to maintain the country’s outstanding international reputation and tributes.

She regretted that not institution is immune to the damages of corruption and therefore critical to consider that fighting corruption needs an intensive attack from all corners in order to enable the anti-corruption agency and other institutions that play a critical role such as the industrial court to achieve their mandates.

Ms Makgekgenene noted that launching this policy showed a principled stand for good governance, key factor against corruption and as such urged them to embark on a programme aimed rolling out the policy.

“The launch is indeed a re-assurance to the public that you adhere to best practices, and you can be trusted with information.

As a court, you are expected to give objective and credible judgements at all times, and you will agree with me that your integrity must be above reproach,” she said. She urged them to embrace the policy as a critical component towards the creation and maintenance of a credible integrity system.

She said she was happy that the policy would promote zero tolerance against corruption, among other set procedures and necessary protocols for reporting corruption, fraud and maladministration.

Ms Makgekgenene noted that because of globalisation, the world has become one big village and as such even perpetrators of crime find it easy to launder proceeds of corruption across borders without hindrance.

Botswana has in the past few years experienced an upsurge in cases where transfer of funds has taken place and where accused persons cannot be brought to book within the jurisdiction of its courts, either because there is no agreement to extradite or repatriate the ill-gotten gains from foreign countries, she observed.

Similarly, she said some accused persons have fled the country while out on bail. In view of this, she said Botswana acceded to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2011 which compels her to develop and maintain coordinated anti-corruption policies that promote the participation of society and reflect the principles of the rule of law, proper management of public affairs and public integrity, transparency and accountability.

Ms Makgekgenene said the accession to this convention would help to ensure that criminals are extradited from wherever they are to within the jurisdiction of ‘our’ courts.

An anti-corruption policy is a very critical component in an institutional anti-corruption framework as it sets the basis for a systematic structure from which a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy could be formulated and implemented, she said.

She noted to that they have set a strategic approach to fighting corruption, which creates and recognises relevant internal and external structures as well as other related anti-corruption architecture. Ends