08 Sep 2026

Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has it intensifies efforts to raise public awareness and strengthen accountability in the public and corporate sectors.

Speaking during the DCEC mini roadshow in Hukuntsi on Friday, Anti-Corruption Officer, Ms Felistas Hlabano said the initiative was aimed at educating communities about corruption and its negative impact on public resources, economic development and social equality, while fostering public support in the fight.

She said DCEC was committed to taking the anti-corruption message to the remotest areas of the country, ensuring that the campaign moved beyond urban centres by engaging rural communities and building a nationwide movement against corruption.

Ms Hlabano said the movement of the anti-corruption torch served as a metaphor for bringing shady transactions to light, urging communities to remain vigilant and play their part in exposing corruption.

She said the campaign also sought to encourage citizens to move from being passive victims of corruption to becoming active participants in combating it.

She explained that DCEC was promoting whistle blowing by reassuring members of the public that they could safely report suspected corrupt practices to law enforcement authorities, while equipping them with knowledge on how to make such reports safely.

Ms Hlabano said increased citizen participation would, in turn, encourage local government institutions to adopt and uphold zero-tolerance policies towards corruption.

She described that the handing over and receiving of the anti-corruption torch by various local departments was intended to secure symbolic pledges from public institutions and elicit commitments from public officials to uphold anti-corruption principles.

Ms Hlabano added that the initiative was therefore aimed at fostering a culture of accountability across the public sector, with the torch symbolising solidarity in the collective fight against corruption.

Kgosi Keolopile Leipego of Hukuntsi said the community had a crucial role to play in fighting corruption and economic crime, noting that the effects of corruption were felt directly by ordinary people.

Kgalagadi North District Commissioner, Ms Veronica Rabakane called on the community to stand together in the fight against corruption, saying the scourge had the potential to damage Botswana’s development and undermine the country’s progress.

Ms Rabakane urged residents to adopt the slogan “Down with Corruption,” saying a corruption-free country was more likely to attract investors and create an environment conducive to economic growth.

She appealed to the community to report suspected cases of corruption, stressing that citizens have a responsibility to protect the country from practices that could undermine its development. ends