By Albert David
Corruption is not merely a moral failure. It is a systemic disease that weakens institutions, distorts public policy, destroys economic potential, and erodes the very foundation of democratic governance. Sierra Leone has introduced reforms, passed laws, created commissions, and launched anti‑corruption campaigns, yet corruption continues to thrive, mutate, and embed itself deeper into the machinery of the state. The uncomfortable truth is that, reforms alone do not end corruption. Systems end corruption. Culture ends corruption. Accountability ends corruption. And until these pillars are strengthened, corruption will remain a devastating, unethical, and nationally crippling force.
Sierra Leone has no shortage of anti‑corruption frameworks. What it lacks is consistent, impartial, and fearless enforcement. When laws exist but are not applied equally, corruption becomes legally dismissive, because offenders know consequences are selective. Manipulative, because systems can be bent to protect the powerful. Oppressive, because ordinary citizens face the full weight of the law while elites escape it. Undemocratic, because accountability becomes optional. Reforms without enforcement are nothing more than political decoration, impressive on paper, irrelevant in practice. Corruption persists because too many people believe they can get away with it. And too often, they do.
This culture of impunity is worrisome, because it normalizes wrongdoing. Disturbing, because it signals that integrity is optional. Devastating, because it destroys public trust, and shameful, because it undermines the dignity of public service. When wrongdoing is quietly forgiven, covered up, or ignored, corruption becomes a national habit rather than an exception.
Anti‑corruption institutions cannot function effectively when their budgets depend on political goodwill. Their leadership is politically influenced, their investigations are selectively encouraged or discouraged, and their findings can be quietly shelved. A watchdog that cannot bark, bite, or roam freely is not a watchdog, it is a decoration.
True reform requires independent institutions, not institutions that operate under the shadow of political pressure.
Corruption thrives where information is hidden, and when citizens cannot access procurement records, budget allocations, audit reports, contract details, and parliamentary decisions, then corruption becomes easier to commit and harder to detect. This secrecy is unethical, because it violates public trust. Öppressive, because it denies citizens the right to know. Manipulative, because it allows narratives to be controlled, and economically destructive, because investors flee environments where information is unreliable. Transparency is not a threat to governance, it is the foundation of good governance.
In a struggling economy, corruption becomes a survival strategy for some and a profit strategy for others. Low wages, limited opportunities, and weak social protections create an environment where corruption feels like the only path to progress. This does not excuse corruption, but it explains why reforms alone cannot stop it. Economic desperation fuels unethical behaviour, and unethical behaviour deepens economic desperation. A vicious cycle.
Corruption persists when public office becomes a reward for loyalty, a tool for political survival, and a mechanism for distributing favours. When appointments are based on allegiance rather than competence, institutions weaken. When public resources are used to maintain political networks, accountability collapses, and when loyalty is valued more than integrity, corruption becomes inevitable.
Corruption is not an abstract concept. It has real, measurable, painful consequences. It undermines investors. No serious investor trusts a system where contracts can be manipulated, regulations can be bought, and decisions depend on personal connections rather than clear rules. It destroys economic growth. Corruption increases the cost of doing business, discourages innovation, and diverts resources away from development. It damages international partnerships, and
development partners lose confidence when transparency is weak and accountability is inconsistent. It weakens democracy, citizens disengage when they believe the system is rigged. It deepens poverty. Funds meant for schools, hospitals, roads, and social services disappear into private pockets. Corruption is not just unethical, it is economically suicidal.
Ending corruption requires more than reforms. It requires a national transformation rooted in transparency, accountability, and civic responsibility. We need institutions that are independent and fearless, public officials who understand that power is a responsibility, not a privilege. We need citizens who demand accountability without fear, mandatory publication of all public financial documents, and stronger whistleblower protections. We need a culture that celebrates integrity, not shortcuts. Good governance is not a slogan.
It is a discipline, a commitment, and a national identity.
Corruption is not an unstoppable force. It is a human choice, enabled by weak systems, tolerated by silence, and protected by secrecy. But it can be defeated by strong institutions, informed citizens, transparent governance, and ethical leadership. Sierra Leone deserves a future where integrity is the norm, not the exception. A future where public office is a place of service, not self‑enrichment. A future where reforms are not cosmetic, but transformative.
Corruption persists despite reforms, but it does not have to. The power to end it lies in the hands of the nation.
