© Rev. Gerald Ole-Nguyaine UDOM January 16, 2011
THE SPIRIT OF CORRUPTION IN TANZANIA
Its Effects in Our Generation and the Next
What Comes to Mind
When you think of the word “corruption,” many other related ideas come to mind. Let me mention but just a few: bribery, fraud, dishonesty, lack of integrity, crookedness, unfair play, injustice, lies, greed, etc. Corruption takes on many forms and shades.
The Bible Condemns Corruption
No doubt, the Bible condemns corruption. That means it is evil. It is sin. Indeed, corruption is a demonic act of injustice against humanity. Someone said, “Ufisadi ni ufishaji” – meaning, grand corruption is an act of killing. Certainly, it is. Think about it!
Let’s consider a few Scriptures against corruption:
• “A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice” (Prov 17:23).
• “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous” (Ex 23:8; cf Deut 16:19).
• “Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person” (Deut 27:25).
• “Extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart” (Ecc 7:7).
• “In you men accept bribes to shed blood; you take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD” (Eze 22:12).
• “For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes” (Job 15:34).
• “Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire -- they all conspire together” (Mic 7:3).
• “Through these he [Jesus Christ] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Pet 1:4).
• Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Mt 27:3).
• The Jewish leaders tried to bribe the guards at the tomb of Jesus to lie about the disappearance of Jesus’ body (28:12).
• Felix, the governor and also judge, an immoral person who not only stole the wife of Azizus, king of Emesa, Drusilla, but also offered to set the Apostle Paul free for money (Ac 24:26). For not offering bribe, Paul had to remain in prison.
• Simon the sorcerer tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit with money. Peter condemned him saying: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” (Acts 8:18-24).
I have cited only a few of the Scriptural texts to show that the Bible condemns corruption. And, it is interesting to note that the Hebrew root word for bribery means “ruin.” Surely, bribery and corruption lead to ruin.
Corruption in Tanzania
Corruption is a big problem in Tanzania. You don’t need to be a genius to know that. It may be categorized as petty corruption or grand corruption.
Petty Corruption is “bureaucratic corruption.” It includes giving and receiving of bribes, embezzlement of public funds, and illegitimate use of public resources – often by low-level government employees.
Grand corruption is “ufisadi papa.” It refers to the misuse of public power by heads of state, ministers and senior officials for private financial gain, resulting in large-scale misappropriation of public funds, contract kickbacks, and the like. The EPA, Richmond, and Dowans scandals are examples of ufisadi in Tanzania.
Both types of corruption are rampant in the society, and evident in Politics, the Police, the Judicial System, Tax Administration, Public Procurement and Contracting, Natural Resources Management, Licenses, Infrastructure and Public Utilities. Basically, corruption stinks everywhere in Tanzania!
Our Response
What should be our response to widespread corruption in the society? Let me propose that, as Christians, we must have a righteous anger against corruption. We must resolve to put a stop to it. It is killing our people.
You only need to visit our public hospitals to appreciate what I am saying. Why should our people die preventable deaths, just because someone misappropriated the funds that were meant to provide the necessary medicines, medical equipment and improved facilities for them to be treated and cured?
You need to visit our public primary schools and please help me answer the question, why after 50 years of Independence our children still sit on the dirt and write with their fingers on the dust of the ground as they try to learn – just because someone embezzled the funds that were allocated to improve their learning conditions?
I could go on and on and talk about villages that are inaccessible because there are no roads, while God has blessed this country with a wealth of natural resources that, if tapped and distributed equitably, could network the whole country with roadways.
Friends, something must be done. If we continue to remain silent; if we continue to turn a blind eye to corruption, not only will it continue to ravage our very own life, but also a time will come when our children, and our children’s children, will ask us: “Why did you accept corruption?” We will have handed down to our children a raped country with a ruined economy, ruined politics, ruined social life, and ruined everything!
Effects of Corruption
Corruption can cripple a country. Take Zimbabwe for example. It was once envied as a stable economy – dubbed “the breadbasket of Africa.” But what remains of Zimbabwe today? Because of corruption, its economy has collapsed. The breadbasket of Africa has become an empty basket!
Zimbabwe is in a political, economic, and social crisis. Why? It’s all because of corruption. I am afraid the same thing will happen to Tanzania – God forbid! – if we do not decisively deal with this spirit of corruption that has permeated the social fabric of our nation.
When corruption becomes entrenched in a society, poverty becomes the order of life for the majority as the wealth of the country gets only in the hands of the few who hold power. It is crucial that the wananchi hold the power for decision-making about important matters pertaining to the destiny of their country. That is why we now need, more than ever before, a new constitution for our beloved country, Tanzania.
Again, corruption leads to poverty. And poverty will shatter the aspirations of the people for a better life, for hope and for a future. Consequently, notions of right and wrong, which were once commonly held assumptions in our society, begin to slip away as people desperately struggle to survive by all means possible.
In turn, crime and violence will increase. Some of the citizens who are sidelined in the economy may tend to justify their criminal acts in taking for themselves – mostly for survival – part of the wealth that those wielding power have denied them.
As crime increases, peace and security are threatened. The more insecure people feel, the more irrational they may behave. We must preserve our God-ordained peace by ending corruption in our country. Tanzanian has been nicknamed “Africa’s haven of peace.” I am not sure if we can still boast of that prestige given such incidents as the recent killing in Arusha of innocent citizens by the police who were supposed to protect them. I concur with Mabere Marando who recently stated that the victims’ blood serves as the ink that writes the foreword for the much needed new constitution for Tanzania!
In a corrupt society, as the Holy Scriptures clearly state, justice is perverted. Those who hold power get away easily with grand criminal offenses, while the poor languish in prison for petty crimes. A powerful politician who is found guilty of vehicular manslaughter evades prison by simply paying a TZS 700,000/= fine, while there may be a man in jail who simply stole a chicken – probably because he was hungry! That is the current state of affairs in our beloved Tanzania.
Needless to say, corruption leads to suspension of the rule of law. Furthermore, politics lose a sense of principle. The only guiding principle is to stay in power for as long as one can, and that means, by whatever means! That is what is happening in Ivory Coast right now. This sort of thing is almost becoming a trademark in African countries’ presidential elections. The vote of the people no longer counts!
Friends, no one should stay in power indefinitely. History shows that the longer one stays in power the more corrupt he becomes. According to Lord Acton, British historian and liberal philosopher, “Power tends to corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” More power must be in the hands of the people. Their vote should decide who rules over them when. Their voice must be listened to and respected.
We may further consider the ramifications of corruption. It infringes on the fundamental human right to fair treatment. All persons are entitled to be treated equally because we are all created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26). But often one person can bribe to get rights and privileges undeserved at the expense of the other who is truly deserving of those rights and privileges.
Mahatma Gandhi warned against what he called seven social sins. These are politics without principle, wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without conscience, education without character, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. Corruption is the bedrock of all these social sins. As a nation, we are guilty of most, if not all, of them. It about time we cleaned our own house!
In Micah 6:8, we read that God wants His people to be just, merciful, and humble. He wants us to be fair in our dealings with all people. He wants us to show genuine compassion and kindness to all people – especially those in need. He wants us to walk in humility and fellowship with Him.
Social change begins with personal change. If we are to be used of God as agents of change in Tanzania, we must first be changed ourselves. How do you view corruption; do you see it as a way to get rich quickly or as a terrible social sin that needs to be dealt with?
Stopping corruption begins with us personally. It demands our honesty in every respect. We are to be credible in managing and accounting for our time, talents and money. We have to be faithful stewards.
As aspiring young people, you must be driven by a sense of servitude; not by the gains of the position you would hold in society. You must not expect to enter public service or private business practice with a get-rich-quick mentality. Nothing comes easily. Hard work is required. Attitudes towards greed for power and wealth, plunder and extravagance must be dropped.
As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. Granted, corruption is an unholy alliance between two parties – a corruptee and a corruptor. That is, for corruption to take place there must be a person giving it and a person receiving it. Well, you put a stop to corruption by resolving in your heart that you would never offer or accept a bribe.
Tanzania is our country. It belongs to all Tanzanians. Its various natural resources are God’s endowments for the benefit of all Tanzanians. I refuse to accept the claim that Tanzania is poor. In reality it is not. It is the politics of corruption and irresponsible leadership that have caused our people to live in the mire of poverty right in the midst of abundant of wealth.
I believe we can still make Tanzania a place of prosperity for every Tanzanian living in the city and in the village, if we get rid of this monster called corruption. With that conviction, I challenge you to arise and say, “No more corruption in my country!”
God bless Tanzania!
God bless you!
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