BY MLEMI ALPHONCE
Corruption remains a major obstacle to justice, slows economic development and places a heavy burden on ordinary citizens.
The Minister of State in the President’s Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance, Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete, said this when opening the 13th Executive Committee Meeting of the Association of African Anti-Corruption Authorities (AAACA EXCOM) in Arusha on April 13.
He said corruption diverted resources from essential services such as health, education and infrastructure, weakened institutions and eroded public trust and ultimately delayed development and strained relations between governments and citizens.
“For Africa to realise its full potential, there must be united, determined and sustained efforts to combat corruption,” he said, stressing the need for shared responsibility and coordinated action.
Mr Kikwete highlighted Tanzania’s commitment to transparency and accountability, noting improvements in legal frameworks, public financial management and service delivery and the role of institutions such as the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).
The AAACA EXCOM had brought together heads of anti-corruption authorities from nine countries, including Tanzania, Egypt, Mali, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Algeria, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Zimbabwe.
