Financial Crime World

EXCLUSIVE: Bribery Scandal Rocks Tanzanian Anti-Corruption Efforts

Tanzania’s efforts to combat corruption have been severely undermined by a widespread culture of bribery among service providers, according to an investigation.

A Culture of Bribery

The National Anti-Corruption Strategies and Action Plans (NACSAPs), launched in 2001, aimed to address corruption and improve governance. However, our findings reveal that preferential treatments can only be given if a service provider is bribed.

Implementing NACSAPs

According to sources within the government, the NACSAPs have been implemented in three phases since 2001:

  • Phase I (2001-2006): Focused on building systems of integrity, accountability, and transparency.
  • Phase II (2007-2012): Emphasized zero-tolerance against corruption, promoting effective governance, and good corporate governance.
  • Phase III (2017-2022): Built upon the previous phases, focusing on system strengthening and institutionalization.

Corruption Remains Rampant

Despite these efforts, bribery remains rampant. International ranking institutions, such as Transparency International, have shown a slight improvement in Tanzania’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) over the years. However, citizens continue to perceive corruption as a major societal problem.

New Patterns of Corruption

Our investigation has uncovered new patterns of corruption, including:

  • The use of mobile money transfers
  • Extortion through fake charges
  • Nepotism in employment

The 2022 Tanzania Public Service Integrity Survey indicated that despite knowledge on codes of ethics, there is still a need to improve ethical behaviors among public servants.

Lack of Progress

The government’s evaluation of NACSAP III concluded that while some successes were documented, there was still a need for follow-up frameworks to address unfulfilled targets and bring new areas of focus on board.

The Need for Change

In light of these findings, our sources have revealed that the development of NACSAP IV is underway. However, it remains unclear whether the new strategy will address the root causes of corruption or simply provide lip service to the problem.

Addressing Corruption Head-On

As Tanzania continues its struggle against corruption, one thing is clear: bribery and preferential treatments for those who can afford them must be addressed head-on if meaningful progress is to be made.