Let’s fight Africa’s corruption plague with ICT

The poor and the honest bare the largest share of the burden of deprivation and lack of services and infrastructure caused by corruption. This is the absurdity of this shadowy, multi-pronged pandemic that extends its tentacles, octopus-like, into all aspects of life. No amount of media exposure and political rhetoric, or event street protests, will make it go away. The latest Transparency International report, which ranks Kenya among the most corrupt countries, should serve as a wake-up call for us all: the efforts being made are not bearing fruit and, therefore, there is need to change strategy.

Considerable research has been done and piles of papers presented on this subject, yet the practice keeps on re-inventing itself and re-emerging in many different forms as if to challenge the crusaders to yet another bout! As a self-proclaimed ICT evangelist, I think it’s time that African governments seriously consider the use of available technological solutions to curb this menace.

Typically, administrative corruption is a result of complex rules for the common man to comprehend and effectively follow and, therefore, calls for intermediaries; civil servants are very powerful people and their discretion to delay or deny service without giving reasons or the perception of the same leads people to allocate some “speed money” to expedite their transaction; and poor handling of complaints, let alone the weak and incompetent investigation procedures and slow judiciary system. All these are issues that can be eased with the use of appropriate ICT systems. And they work particularly well when they are embedded in broader institutional reforms.

But then, are African governments really keen on stamping out corruption? Because if they are, then ICTs can provide powerful tools and solutions for controlling official corruption. One inherent success factor in the application of ICTs is that they enhance transparency, particularly at the transactional level, while offering opportunities for easier access to public records, transactional trails and establishing linkages among geographically separated systems for better accountability.

Sample this: Over the past decade the majority of corrupt deals in East Africa, for example, have been executed from government procurement tenders. This is probably the largest loophole that unscrupulous civil servants and their private sector collaborators have used to cheat governments and stolen millions of shillings. The infamous Anglo Leasing case in Kenya is a case in point.

ICTs in the form of electronic procurement systems can inhibit the ability of government officials to cut deals. Online public review of tender documents can assure appropriate competition and public scrutiny of procedures. But this can only happen if the necessary legal framework that supports these new technologies and the new knowledge economy is in place.

For instance, the registration of permits online, with fees paid separately to a commercial bank, can reduce fraudulent construction practices that lead to structural failures and human casualties. This also minimizes the face-to-face contact between officials and customers which in itself is a conduit for corruption. The same can be said about birth certificates, work permits, passports etc. There are many cases that we can make reference to in virtually all sectors of the economy, and ICT solutions are available to aid. And in social services and development, health, agriculture, education can all benefit from the utilisation of ICT to curb corruption.

Having said that, it is important to note that ICT is not a silver bullet but only a tool to help us efficiently achieve our stated objectives. . And as stated earlier, ICTs should viewed from a holistic view and be integrated in broader institutional reforms or frameworks such as the Public Service Reforms happening in most Africa Governments today. This way, ICTs can become effective enablers that can bring out major changes, for the better, in public service delivery.

With a collaborative process, political will, strong administrative leadership and citizen partnership, ICT could be the tool we have been waiting to for to neutralize this never-say-die demon – corruption.