Whose Korrupt?

I think everyone would admit that corruption is ubiquitous to some degree in every society; no one’s perfect. In Canada all of us have greased a bouncer, bent the rules to help out a friend, and been a victim or benificary of the problem. However the corruption that exists here in Zambia appears to be of a different breed and magnitude than that at home. Many Zambian’s I have spoken with feel that thee biggest problem in getting a job is corruption. I don’t think too many Canadian’s experience this as the biggest barrier in securing employment and most would probably concede laziness before corruption; the rich help feed the rich at the expense of the poor. The lower-to-middle class here also sees it as cementing the gap between social classes. In the little interaction I do have with the upper class, the topic seems mysteriously absent or abated. There are many discouraging aspects of corruption but to me, two of the saddest effects that I see here is that the best person for the job is very often not awarded the job, which leads to less efficient and less productive efforts for projects that desperately need them. Secondly, many Zambians have lost faith in their fellow Zambians. This was exemplified when I asked one man what he thought the major problem with development here was, “The problem is that white people come and start good projects but then give control to Zambians”. In order for someone to help you, you have to let them help and trust is a critical factor. Exacerbating the frustration of many at a higher level is the poignant irony of government figures central and contributors to the injustice they are elected and entrusted to eradicate.
It was interesting to me to hear two contrasting views on the origins of corruption within a hierarchy. In speaking with two lower-middle class Zambian’s, they were thoroughly convinced that corruption expanded from the top of a hierarchy. “Any jobs that become available will be filled with a relative, friend, or to whoever will pay the most. They (the employer) will even put the job in the paper but there is no point in applying because the job is already spoken for.” Both men could name businesses in Chipata where securing a job would cost you upwards of K100 000 ($25 CND) upfront or, in the case of females, sex. Would you still finish high school or go to college if the certificate held little to no weight for many positions? Alternately, many of the staff at ICRAF feels that corruption does not exist at higher levels because it is too easy to identify. Higher-ranking officials are under close scrutiny because there are less of them, are of greater influence, and are incumbent in highly visible positions. All these factors discourage corrupt practices.
Two of the males in my family were both awarded with their jobs partly on the basis of a family connection: one with a tobacco company and the other with the Zambian military. In both instances, each individual had a family to provide for. If they rejected the position because it was corrupt, they might not eat. Could you afford to refuse this job on the basis of your values or morals? Common wages here for some men are K5000 per day (just over $1) and they are expected to provide for families that often extend beyond the immediate primarily because of low life expectancy rates. If I had an opportunity to unethically or illegally exploit my position of power, however big or little, to feed my family, the decision may take on different implications. These are some of the examples where corruption may not appear entirely malevolent or even permissible.
So what are some of the places people here see corruption at its finest? Corruption exists in banking where loans already carry an effective interest rate of 30-60%. If the loan you sign for is agreed on at K200 000 ($50 CND) and the loan officer brings you K100 000 you have the right to refuse the loan but without it, you and your family go hungry or business fails. It exists within the police where paying the officer K30 000 will save you a K40 000 ticket among other things. There was a story in the paper last week about an off-duty police sergeant in Lusaka who was confronted by a drunken on-duty officer who demanded either payment of K10 000, buy him three beers, or else he would shoot him. When the constable disbelieved the sergeants’ status, he ordered him to urinate on the ground and after the sergeant did so the constable informed him urinating in public was serious offence. He would report him if he did not submit to his demands. Every day within the paper there are articles on corruption within the government. Allegations span the headlines daily as “Mwanawasa (current president) Is Not Serious About Fight Against Corruption” and other public officials trade accusations of corruption. There is actually a task force here with the specific objective to identify and correct corruption in the government and elsewhere, who are currently the target of a corruption cover-up within the media. Corruption may not exist literally “everywhere” but regardless of your role in society, it is pervasive. It is a central issue whether you are doing development in health, politics, or agriculture.
There are definitely some encouraging campaigns here in Zambia in the fight against corruption. I think one of the most robust ones is plainly called “The Fight Against Corruption”, which is spearheaded by the media. The public and, consequently, papers back home love a good story. Whenever a scandal is uncovered the first place you turn to read about it is the papers. Regardless of the publisher’s motives, the media is an effective whistleblower on improper conduct and corruption. The simple fact that I hear the radio on constant rants and read the papers endless headlines are good sign. It means people here are talking about it, which can initiate and facilitate change. I also witnessed an emphasis placed on the importance of transparency in operations at a workshop we attended this summer for NGO’s. Although this is a very elementary step and a weak indicator of the NGO’s actually practicing transparency, it is a necessary one and displays a consciousness of the issue. There are undoubtedly other efforts out there but these were two that I could see here that demonstrate a public awareness and intolerance.
I’m not sure on how to end this entry on an optimistic note because I don’t believe that corruption will ever be completely eradicated. At the same time unsure about what an “acceptable” level of existence is. I do believe people here when they say it is a “major problem” but I also know that is only one of many in a giant, interconnecting, complex development “knot”. I guess in a similar scenario, the best you can do with a ball of yarn is look at as many threads as possible and straighten them out, thread by thread and one at a time...

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