19 Jun 2018

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has called on governments to ensure the existence of sound policies for fighting corruption.

Officiating at the Southern Africa Regional Conference on Corruption in Gaborone on June 18, he said sound policies on accounting governance, internal controls and auditing systems within the public sector and adherence to the rule of law and prosecution of perpetrators of corruption should be put in place.

“Corruption should not only be left to institutions of state alone, but should include participation by stakeholders such as the private sector and civil society,” he said.

To this end, he said, Botswana had made strides in fighting corruption by putting in place a number of relevant legal instruments such as the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act and Whistle Blowing Act.

Furthermore, he said Botswana had now established a specialised corruption court.

“We are going to table a Bill in Parliament on Declaration of Assets and Liabilities which will cover all top government official including the executive,” he said.

President Masisi further applauded organisers of the conference held under the theme: Challenges of Corruption on Economic Transformation in Africa for successfully bringing together heads of anti-corruption agencies in the region saying it was a step in the right direction towards zero tolerance for corruption.

He further commended United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Southern Africa Office (AUSARO) for organising the conference aimed at building capacity on efficient and practical solutions to combating corruption.

Meanwhile Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said the conference was significant to Botswana as the country had set targets for fighting the appearance of corruption in all its manifestations.

“It is therefore encouraging to us to engage, interact, exchange views and in the process receive guidance and direction from those of you who have a commitment in their own countries to fight corruption,” he said.

Mr Molefhi said Botswana had institutionalised anti-corruption ideals across government and parastatal organisations and local authority in order to root out the corruption scourge.

“I want to assure you that Botswana is open to business of hosting conferences, to apply the lessons for further improvement on our efforts as a country,” he said.

Director of United Nations Economic Commission for Southern Africa, Prof. Said Adejumobi, said the choice of Botswana to host the conference was not a coincidence because the country was a success story for fighting corruption.

Botswana, he said, was well placed to champion the anti-corruption agenda and to encourage other African countries to follow  suit.

He further noted that corruption had weakened public institutions and led to under developed private sector.

“Good and progressive leadership can make a qualitative difference, build progressive institutions and diffuse the tensions that are associated with struggle for power and corruption,” he said.

Prof. Adejumobi said corruption was costly as it decelerated development and generated conflict, weakened economic growth and denied quality social services and ultimately devalued the state and its people.

African Union Commission representative, Dr Augustine Ngomo said like cancer, corruption destroyed systems.

He called on African states to move towards zero tolerance to corruption by bringing the culprits to book. ENDS