CONFRONTING CIVIL SOCIETY CORRUPTION

Does corruption exist in non-governmental organizations (NGOs)? Do civil society organizations also suffer the cancer of corruption? This article intends to initiate debate and open conversions on this crucial accountability issue. Civil society is a key player in the fight against corruption. It is an important actor in development and democratization. CSOs use a range of tools for exposing fraud and corruption. While these efforts are commendable and worth supporting, the question is whether CSOs are themselves clean and corrupt -free.

Transparency international, a global anti-corruption think-tank defines corruption as abuse of entrusted power for private gain. similarly, the world bank defines corruption as abuse of public office for private gain. A good number of corruption notions are conceptualized around abuse within governments or public sector.

The United Nations Convention Against Corruption extends the scope of anti-corruption efforts beyond government to include entities whose actions encourage corruption. The African union and the UN place extra emphasis on the role of CSOs as drivers in the fight against corruption.

While efforts to address corruption in the business sector have deepened, there is little in terms of robust actions of tackling civil society sector corruption. Of course, isolated efforts have been made by individual NGOs to adopt codes of conduct, statements of ethical behavior, and integrity systems to foster a culture of accountability. However, these mechanisms are limited and their effectiveness is often subjected to the whims of the NGO directors and their boards.

On the other hand, efforts by government to foster by governments to foster NGO accountability through legal frameworks and regulatory arrangements are often resisted by CSOs since they are viewed as mechanisms for shrinking civil society space. NGO laws are regarded as tools for limiting freedoms of human rights defenders. This is a policy dilemma and a legal conundrum. Who follows the money received and spent by NGOs?

Civil society and NGO corruption takes many forms that are similar to public and business sector corruption. These forms of abuse include bribery and embezzlement of donor money. some NGOs take money for work which they never implement on the ground. This is the worst form of cash-gate because often the internal oversight functions are compromised. NGO sector abuse also involves overpricing and mis invoicing through collusion between CSOs and suppliers of goods and services. This is rampant in the procurement of items such as stationery, motor vehicle spares, consultancy services, computers and accessories. some NGO managers own stationery shops that supply items to the same NGOs they lead. Awarding contracts to family and friends is another common form of NGO abuse through networks of clientelism and favoritism. The malpractices are driven by nepotistic tendencies where NGOs award contracts based on tribalist considerations.

The forms of NGO corruption and Civil society organization fraud are many but let me conclude by pointing out corruption and abuse associated with staff recruitment processes. While funding challenges may be a factor, some civil society organization deliberately employ underqualified staff thereby sacrificing professionalism on the altar of bribes. Prospective employees also suffer sexual exploitation in order to be given a job. However, it is commendable to observe that a number of NGOs are progressively adopting strict disciplinary codes of conduct against sexual harassment.

NGO project proposals are funded because they mention vulnerable people. Communities are documented as primary beneficiaries although the money is siphoned and diverted into pockets of the CSO leaders. Meanwhile, the communities are stuck in perpetual poverty and underdevelopment. CSO corruption borders on self -enrichment and personal garnishment as NGO managers get richer and richer while the people get poorer and poorer. Perhaps, it is this cancer of NGO corruption that explains why lives have not transformed despite decades of NGOs working with millions and billions of kwacha pumped in the communities. Now is the time to wage war against civil society and NGO corruption.