Editor,Allow me to comment on the story that appeared in your newspaper yesterday, in which regional experts urged African countries to emulate Rwanda’s anti-corruption policies.If regional countries are to attain real economic growth, they must intensify the fight against corruption. Corruption is a societal cancer and, if not fought collectively, it will hamper Africa’s economic prospects and aspirations of African masses.I believe Rwanda has managed to achieve a lot within seventeen years after the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi because of her zero tolerance to corruption, a policy which the government has admirably promoted consistently.Here is an African country where the rule of law applies to everyone, where public officials are held to account for every missing penny. This stance has acted as a deterrence against corrupt tendencies since officials know it very well that, no matter what positions they occupy or how known they are to the highest authority, they cannot walk scot free in case they abuse office or steal taxpayers’ money.That has resulted into a sort of fiscal discipline on the part of officials, meaning that almost all the public funds have gone to development programmes. The result is there for all to see. Had it not been for the government’s intolerance to corruption, the country wouldn’t be where it is now. Kudos to the Rwandan leadership.Stella TetaKicukirio
