Governments Falter in Fight Against Corruption - The poorest people punished most

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Governments Falter in Fight Against Corruption

The poorest people punished most


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Afrobarometer ExplainedThe Afrobarometer (AB) is a comparative series of public opinion surveys that measure public attitudes toward democracy, governance, the economy, leadership, identity, and other related issues.

The AB is an independent, non-partisan, African-based network of researchers.

The first round of surveys took place in 1999-2001 in 12 countries. The Network is now conducting “Round 5” surveys in up to 35 countries during 2011-2013.

Purpose: To measure popular perspectives on the social, political, and economic environments in each country where it is implemented and across Africa.

Goal: To give the public a voice in policy making processes by providing high-quality public opinion data to policy-makers, policy advocates and civil society organizations, academics, media, donors and investors, and ordinary Africans.


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Survey Scope Round 1, 1999-2001, 12 countries

Southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe West Africa: Ghana, Mali, Nigeria East Africa: Tanzania, Uganda

Round 2, 2002-2003, 16 countries, adding: Cape Verde, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal

Round 3, 2005-2006, 18 countries, adding: Benin, Madagascar

Round 4, 2008-2009, 20 countries, adding: Burkina Faso, Liberia

Round 5, 2011-2013, up to 35 countries, adding: Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea,

Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Togo, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland


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Who is AfrobarometerA Pan-African Network of survey researchers and analysts. In each country there is a National Partner responsible for survey implementation.

Four Core Partners provide technical assistance and Network management: Center for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), South Africa Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi, Kenya Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IREEP), Benin

Two Support Units for capacity building and quality assurance Michigan State University University of Cape Town

Round 5 Core Funders include DFID SIDA USAID Mo Ibrahim Foundation World Bank


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Survey Methodology

• Nationally representative sample of adult citizens – all respondents are randomly selected– every adult citizen has an equal and known chance of being selected

• Face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice

• Standard survey instrument across all countries for comparability

• These 34-country results therefore represent the views of approximately three-quarters (76%) of the continent’s population with a margin of error of +/-2% at a 95% confidence level.

• The total number of respondents in the 34 countries was 51,605.


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Global Dissemination Events• 1 October 2013 - Lived poverty and the Economy• 16 October 2013 Globalization and the Freedom to

Communicate• 13 November 2013 Corruption & the Poor• 12 December Government Services & Resource Management• 23 January Taxation• 19 February 2013 Gender• 12 March 2013 Democracy


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Face to Face Interviews in 34 Countries

Finding out what the people have to day


HOPE FADES FOR FIGHTING CORRUPTIONDisapprovals of government anti-corruption efforts rise


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Key Findings

• A majority across 34 countries say that governments handle their anti-corruption work badly

• Despite an influx of overseas development aid and other funds invested in reducing graft, “bad” ratings have risen in the 16 countries that have been surveyed since 2002

• Only in a few countries have “bad” ratings of government corruption cleanup declined – Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Botswana & Lesotho.

Measuring Satisfaction with Governments’ Handling of Corruption

• To gauge public views on governments’ efforts to reduce corruption,

Afrobarometer asked more than 51,000 people:

How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say: Fighting corruption in government?

•The next few charts show you what the people say


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Government’s Corruption Reduction Efforts Assessed

2002 2005 2008 20120%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

46 4549

54

43 4441

37

12 11 10 9

Fairly/very badly Fairly/very well Don't know


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Biggest Changes in Negative Ratings for Governments’ Fight Against Corruption

Changes over time in statement that governments handles the fight against corruption fairly or very badly

2002 2005 2008 20120%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Mozambique SenegalBotswana LesothoMalawi

2002 2005 2008 20120%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Kenya ZimbabweGhana TanzaniaMali


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Government Anti-Corruption Performance Ratings by Country

MalawiLesotho

BotswanaSenegal

NigerCote d’Ivoire

ZambiaCameroon

Cape VerdeMozambiqueSierra Leone

AlgeriaBenin

Burkina FasoSwaziland

GuineaGhana

NamibiaAverageBurundi

LiberiaMadagascar

MauritiusMorocco

South AfricaTanzania

TogoTunisia

MaliKenyaSudan

UgandaZimbabwe

EgyptNigeria

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

28%28%29%

32%39%

41%42%42%43%

44%44%

47%48%

51%52%

54%54%55%56%

59%63%63%64%

65%66%66%66%67%

69%70%

76%76%

81%82%82%

Fairly/very badly Don't know Fairly/very well


CORRUPTION IN STATE INSTITUTIONS SCRUTINIZED

Police, Government, Tax Officials Garner Highest Corruption Ratings


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Key Findings

• Police rank highest in perception of crime in all countries with two out of every five people rating “most or all” as corrupt

• Tax and government officials rank second among officials with the highest corruption perceptions

• Officials in prime ministers’ and presidents’ offices garner the lowest ratings of corruption

• Nigeria, Cameroon & Mali rate highest on Afrobarometer’s perception of corruption index, which combines ratings among all government agencies

• Mauritius, Algeria and Cape Verde rate lowest on the perception of corruption index


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The President and Officials in his Office

Judges and Magistrates

Members of Parliament

Local Government Councillors

Tax Officials

Government Officials

The Police

24

27

29

30

34

35

43

41

43

45

45

39

44

38

17

15

11

12

10

8

9

17

15

15

12

17

13

10

Most/all of them Some of them None of them Don't know

Question: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven’t you heard enough about them to say: _____?

Based on 34 countries included in R5

Perceptions of Corruption Among Public Servants


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Countries with Highest & Lowest Perceptions of Police Corruption

Proportion who said that ‘most or all’ police are corruptBased on 34 countries included in R5

Alg

eri

a

Cape V

erd

e

Mauri

tius

Tunis

ia

Senegal

Ave

rage

Uganda

Zim

babw

e

Sie

rra L

eone

Kenya

Nig

eri

a

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

14 17 1825 25

43

62 6269 69

78

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Countries with Highest & Lowest Perceptions of

Government Officials Corruption

Proportion who said that ‘most or all’ government officials are corruptBased on 34 countries included in R5

Cape V

erd

e

Mauri

tius

Madagasc

ar

Buru

ndi

Moza

mbiq

ue

Ave

rage

Zim

babw

e

South

Afr

ica

Sie

rra L

eone

Kenya

Nig

eri

a

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

12 1419 21 22

35

49 50 51 5259

19


Tax Officials Corruption

Proportion who said that ‘most or all’ tax officials are corruptBased on 34 countries included in R5

Mauri

tius

Cape V

erd

e

Bots

wana

Leso

tho

Tunis

ia

Avera

ge

Liberi

a

Benin

Sie

rra L

eone

Nig

eri

a

Cam

ero

on

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

9 11 1319 19

34

4854 57 58 59

20


Local Councilors Corruption

Proportion who said that ‘most or all’ local councilors are corruptBased on 34 countries included in R5

Madagasc

ar

Cape V

erd

e

Leso

tho

Bots

wana

Mauri

tius

Ave

rage

Zim

babw

e

Kenya

South

Afr

ica

Sie

rra L

eone

Nig

eri

a

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

11 1118 18 18

30

4249 52 52

62


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Perceptions of Corruption Index

Based on 34 countries included in R5 across five government institutions: Officials in the office of the presidency, Members of Parliament, Government Officials, Police, Judges and Magistrates

MauritiusAlgeria

Cape VerdeNamibia

BotswanaTunisia

MozambiqueSenegalZambiaMalawi

BurundiGuinea

Cote d’IvoireTanzania

NigerLesotho

Burkina FasoAverage

SudanSwaziland

GhanaEgypt

South AfricaUganda

ZimbabweBenin

LiberiaKenya

Sierra LeoneTogoMali

CameroonNigeria

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50

1.201.30

1.421.441.46

1.541.541.551.561.561.581.591.591.601.601.631.64

1.741.76

1.841.841.861.88

1.921.941.96

2.032.082.09

2.132.14

2.202.22


CORRUPTION PUNISHES THE POORThe poor exploited in countries with high corruption rates, low protections


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Key Findings

• One in three respondents reports at least one instance of paying a bribe to obtain a service or to avoid a problem in the past year

• People were forced to exchange money or favours for a public benefit, most often to obtain a document or service from government

• Paying a kickback for medical care ranks second among experiences of bribery

• Exchanging money or favours to avoid a problem with the police ranks third


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Tracking Day to Day Bribery, Exploitation

•To find out how often people are forced to pay for public services, Afrobarometer asked the following question:

In the past year, how often, if ever, have you had to pay a bribe, give a gift, or do a favor to government officials in order to:

…get a document or permit; get water or sanitation services; get treatment at a local clinic or hospital; avoid a problem with the police (like passing a checkpoint or avoiding a fine or arrest); or get a place in a primary school for a child?

•Corruption’s influence people’s every day life will become evident in the following charts


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Personal Bribery Experience, Lived Corruption

Get a docu-ment or permit

Get medical treatment

Avoid problem with the police

Get school placement

Get water or sanitation services

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

9%7% 6% 5%

4%

4%5%

4%3%

3%

3% 4%4%

2%2%

Once or Twice A few times Often

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Regional Experiences of Bribery

East Africa North Africa West Africa Southern Africa

Average0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%22

21

17

10

16

2321

17

7

15

20

18

15

8

1413

10

13

6

10

1211

9

5

8

Get document or permit Get medical treatmentAvoid problem with police Get school placementGet water/sanitation services

Based on 34 countries included in R5

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Bribery to Get a Permit, Countries with the Highest & Lowest Ratings

Percentages who said that they had paid a bribe at least once to get a document or permitBased on 34 countries included in R5

Moro

cco

Kenya

Sie

rra L

eone

Egyp

t

Cam

ero

on

Liberi

a

Ave

rage

South

Afr

ica

Mala

wi

Cape V

erd

e

Nam

ibia

Mauri

tius

Bots

wana

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%44%

38%34%

28%26%

24%

16%

7%4% 3% 3% 2% 2%

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Experiences of Bribery: Countries with the Highest & Lowest Ratings

Moro

cco

Sie

rra L

eone

Kenya

Liberi

a

Cam

ero

on

Ave

rage

Leso

tho

Nam

ibia

Bots

wana

Cape V

erd

e

Mauri

tius

0%

10%

20%

30%27%

21%19%

17% 16%

8%

2%1% 1% 1% 1%

Proportion who say they’ve paid a bribe or performed a favor once to many times to avoid a problem with the policeBased on 34 countries included in R5


CORRUPTION’S CONSEQUENCESCorruption Punishes the Poor; Satisfaction for Democracy Dwindles


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Key Findings

• The poor are the people most vulnerable to demands for bribes in return for the basic public services that are their right – for example almost one in five of the people who go without food to eat at least once a year paid a bribe to get medical treatment. Only one in ten people who have never gone without food say they had to exchange money or favours for such care.

• The poor also more often have to pay a bribe to obtain a school placement for their children and to obtain documents or permits.

• Experience of poverty is also linked to higher perceived levels of corruption,

especially in the justice sector. • Perceptions that officials are corrupt are linked to dissatisfaction with

democracy. Absolute majorities of people who have never paid a bribe report their satisfaction for democracy while more than one in three who report bribing people at least once in return for services express dissatisfaction with democracy


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People Who Have Scarce Resources Report Higher Perceptions of Corruption

The chart shows people who say at least some to all officials in these organizations are corrupt, according to their access to adequate foodBased on 34 countries included in R5

Office of the President

Members of Parliament

Judges and Magistrates

Government Officials

Police

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

22%

27%

24%

33%

39%

27%

30%

31%

36%

46%

Gone without food at least once Never gone without food


32

People Who Have Scarce ResourcesExperience Higher Levels of Bribery

The chart shows people who have paid a bribe one or more times during the year preceding the survey

Based on 34 countries

Water or sanitation

School placement

Avoid problem with police

Medical treatment

Document or permit

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

7%

7%

13%

12%

14%

10%

13%

15%

18%

18%

Gone without food at least once Never gone without food

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People Who Suffer Food Deprivation Pay Bribes Most in Countries Where Percieved Corruption is High

The chart shows people who are coerced to pay bribes to get a document or permit one or more times during the year preceding the survey, based on number of times they go without food*Based on 34 countries included in R5

Mo

rocc

o

Ke

nya

Sie

rra

Le

on

e

Lib

eri

a

Ave

rag

e

Ca

pe

Ve

rde

Na

mib

ia

Ma

uri

tiu

s

Bo

tsw

an

a

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%53

45

35

25

18

4 17 4 2

41

2932

1914

3 12 3 3

Gone without food Never gone with out food

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Corruption Affects People’s Satisfaction with Democracy

Data show satisfaction with democracy among people who have paid a bribe one or more times in the past year and those who report paying no bribesBased on 34 countries included in R5

Water or sanitation

School placement

Problem with police

Medical treatment

Document or permit

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

7%

9%

12%

13%

13%

10%

12%

16%

17%

19%

Not at all/not very satisfied with democracy Fairly/very satisfied with democracy


STUDY, PRESENTATION PREPARED BY SAMANTHA RICHMOND, AFROBAROMETER OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR CAPACITY BUILDING & CARMEN ALPIN, DATA MANAGER

PRESENTATION BY RICHARD HOUESSOU, AFROBAROMETER PROGRAMME MANAGER

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Governments Falter in Fight Against Corruption - The poorest people punished most