Face of Corruption: Unraveling the most corrupt states in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Face of Corruption: Unraveling the most corrupt states in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABDALLE MUMIN

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Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

ABDALLE MUMIN

Corruption, the uninvited guest at Africa’s governance party, seems to be overstaying its welcome despite regional concerns.

The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published annually by the Transparency International, has spilled the beans on the current state of affairs, revealing some surprising scorecards in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Seychelles (CPI score: 71) continues to wear the crown of the least corrupt, showcasing a mastery of the corruption game. Cabo Verde (64) and Botswana (59) are close contenders, seemingly taking lessons in corruption-resistance strategies.

On the flip side, the trio of Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13), and Somalia (11) seems to be stuck in a corruption quicksand with no signs of improvement, giving a new meaning to the term "rock bottom.”

Despite a 3.3% economic growth rate in 2023, Sub-Saharan Africa grapples with extreme poverty, affecting a staggering 462 million people. The root cause? Decades of severe underfunding in public sectors, fueled by corruption and illicit financial flows diverting resources from essential public services. It’s a tragic comedy where the punchline is poverty, and the audience is the most vulnerable.

Justice systems in the region aren’t immune to the corruption comedy show. From bribery ballets in Nigeria (25) to magistrates facing dismissal drama in Burundi (20) and the tragic denial of justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (20), the plot thickens with every corrupt twist.

Democracy, too, takes a hit, with unconstitutional changes becoming the new norm in Mali (28), Guinea (26), Niger (32), and Gabon (28), starring insecurity and corruption in lead roles.

Enter Somalia, where corruption has become the daily sitcom for every citizen. Political corruption, high-level fraud, and bribery dance in the streets like it’s a carnival, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, his associates and even close family members hogging the limelight in every corruption deal reported. Impunity reigns supreme, with accountability as mythical as a unicorn.

Tackling corruption in Somalia is like juggling dynamite. Insecurity, courtesy of the terror group Al-Shabaab, steals the spotlight, while the country remains stuck in a three-decade loop of violence and instability. Adding to the circus, President Mohamud dissolved anti-corruption bodies in a decree in October 2022.

President Mohamud and corruption have been longtime companions. Accusations of corruption and abuse of power plagued him even during his previous term in office from 2012 to 2016. Meanwhile, Somalis face worsening economic and humanitarian conditions, making corruption the star of their tragic comedy.

So, welcome to the world’s most corrupt country, where accountability is a punchline missing from the script. Laughter may be the best medicine, but in this corruption comedy, the prescription seems to be lost in translation.

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Abdalle Mumin is an independent journalist and current secretary-general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate