Corruption in Cameroun

The high level of corruption in Cameroun remains a specificity of the country. In spite of the international pressures and many plans or laws of fight against the Corruption, the practice remains a constant of the life of the every day to the Cameroun, since, in 2004, more than 50% of the Cameronian households admitted having poured at least a bribe.

Historical origin

Time précoloniale

The kingdoms of the Chadian basin, when they were not in Guerre, generally used of the Diplomatie of the “ gift ” to avoid it. Useful gifts are indeed necessary to temporize a State more extremely aggressive and to promote the relations of good neighborhood. The smallest States “then buy” the leniency of their large neighbor.

In the same way, the visitor will offer a gift to the sovereign whom he will visit, and in return, this one will show hospitality towards this visitor. This last will set out again with gifts for its king, signs good relationships between the two kingdoms. The gift is then a diplomatic use of the area.

Within the same kingdom, it is also of use which there exist exchanges of gifts between vassal and Suzerain. The gift with the suzerain is then the tribute of the Vassal (in addition to the tax), symbol of its tender and of his allegiance but, at the time of religious holidays for example, the suzerain will offer also gifts to his vassal.

The first European explorers of the Africa know these practices thanks to the accounts of travellers having preceded them. They will make use of gifts in order to be able to reach to the sultans and to gain the authorizations to visit the area. Nevertheless, with the European explorers, the gift loses its diplomatic symbolic system to become only one simple right-of-way, even of Pot-de-vin when it is a question of convincing a Prime Minister to arrange an interview with its Sultan.

Colonial time

German colonization puts an end to the slave practices (Razzia S), thus depriving the local aristocracies of the substantial share their incomes coming from the traffic of Esclave S. Thereafter, the installation of a colonial administration calls into question the legitimacy of the taxes taken by certain traditional chiefs on their population. Number of Chefferie S are impoverished and cannot provide for maintenance with their court.

Nevertheless, in the colonial Administration, the traditional chiefs are the driving belt between the colonial capacity and the population. To reconcile the good graces of those, the German administration their offer of the present on many occasions and enables them to keep part of the colonial tax, counterpart of their honesty. These chiefs, consolidated by the colonizers, have a capacity again. The populations their then pour again tributes and gifts to reconcile their favors. The Chefferie S are then entirely dependant on the gifts (of the population or the colonizer) for their operation.

The passage of the German colonial capacity to the French colonial capacity will not basically change the mode of administration of Cameroun.

Independence

At the time of the independence of Cameroun (1960), the president Ahidjo will be pressed on the traditional chiefs to sit his authority. The chiefs then gain a certain number of capacities, which they begin with monnayer (one gives “cola then” to be able, for example, to minimize the size of a livestock and to escape the tax).

The chief resting on the “notable ones” of his village which names it, of many applicants to the statute of notable seek to obtain an audience. To cross the anterooms which lead to the chief, it is necessary, like wants it the habit, to make present whose value increases as one approaches the chief. The quality of the gift marking the degree of consideration which one grants his recipient.

Same manner, the school elite of Cameroun will seek to obtain from the leaders the same kind of favor to reach the stations - keys of the State.

In addition, in usual justice, it was necessary and traditional to make gifts with the chief and the auxiliaries of justice in order to make sure the benevolence of each one.

Until 1977, the chiefs will be at the stations - keys of the presidential party and will control the bureaucratic machinery. Thereafter, little by little, of the civils servant will succeed to them, taking again their administrative offices and the “advantages” related to this function.

Corruption nowadays

The Cameronians and their press often speak about the Cameroun like “ double world champions of corruption ”

The classification of the organization Transparency International announced by twice this country like having the greatest perceptible index of corruption. It is about an index of perception, received from the populations concerned.

It has several names: Gombo , beer , taxi , fuel , tchoko , motivation …

On all the levels of the State, the Fonctionnaire S would be corruptible. Indeed, the civils servant, to obtain their station or to be transferred, must be “sponsored” or “helped” and this, often, as of the ENAM. The “godfather” then awaits on behalf of the civil servant a recognition which is not only verbal. This kind of practice would take place also with the more high level of the state according to The African Independent.

This " motivation" can be used to obtain a master key right, but in general, it is used to obtain a simple right (one also speaks, in this case of “Parafiscalité”).

Examples resulting from the everyday life:

Police controls: The corruption of the police officers (called in a popular way: Eats-thousand) obliges sometimes the drivers to pay a bribe during the control of their vehicle.

the Cameroon Tribune gives a report on dissatisfaction met by certain customers, obliged to pay an illegal commission to obtain the money of their savings accounts.

Fiscal controls: Handing-over are envisaged, after private maintenance with the Minister of Finance.

Thus, the Cameronian must often give of the bribes with civils servant whose wages cannot be enough to make them live decently. Thus, in 2005, according to International Transparency, each household Cameronian would have spent approximately 102.500 frank CFA (156 euros) on average and that would represent of a third to a fifth of the least easy incomes of households.

Index of perception of corruption (IPC)

The index of perception of corruption is calculated by ONG Transparency International and reflects the perception of corruption by the economic decision makers and the experts.

Cost of corruption

According to Christol Georges Manon, president of the Observatory of fight against corruption with the Cameroun, 40% of the recorded receipts each year do not serve the development due to corruption.

According to Samuel Ekoum, president of ONG Cameronian S.O.S corruption, the State of Cameroun on average loses per annum 400 billion francs CFA because of corruption.

In the forest sector

According to a survey carried out by Greenpeace, Forest Monitor and the Center for the environment and the development (Ced), the State would lose on average 100 billion francs CFA each year in the forest sector, because of illegal exploitation (60 billion for Global Witness). However, this amount does not make the share between the cost due to corruption and that of with the traditional fraud.

ONG underline in particular that, although the law theirs prohibits, of the Cameronian senior officials (in particular of the generals) exploits forests via figureheads.

Moreover, according to Patrice Bigombé Logo, professor of university and director ONG " Research center and of action for sustainable development in Africa centrale" , hardly 20% of the taxes poured by the forest companies with the communes are invested in local development. The remainder would be used to feed the networks or the personal profit of the local elites.

According to international Transparency, there exist 3 primary sources of corruption in the Cameronian forest: illegal forestry development, anarchistic forestry development and traditional cuts and sawings.

According to ONG CED and Total Witness, “ the forest sector of Cameroun more than is ever put at contribution in the company of private accumulation of many holders of a piece of being able in the country ”.

Certain foresters complain about retaliatory measures on behalf of the administration if they refuse the system of corruption set up. Indeed, the companies accepting the system of corruption can exploit their forests by paying less taxes, whereas those which refuse it are the subject of retaliatory measure (whimsical impositions, blocking of exports, administrative zeal).

The most corrupted sectors

In the investigation of the world Barometer of corruption 2003 (International Transparency), in answer to the " question; if you could eliminate corruption within one from the following institutions which would be your first choice? " :

31%: legal system
14%: the police force

In the barometer 2004

Random links: