Anti-corruption reform approaches in Africa:lessons and insights from Zambia

Anti-corruption approaches include institutional and extra-institutional processes and initiatives to address and prevent corrupt practices. These approaches aim to promote ethical behaviours and norms and to build systems within bureaucratic and societal contexts. While previous efforts focused on law enforcement, recent approaches have shifted towards creating political and legal environments that support more effective preventive measures. This includes nurturing anti-corruption behaviours within bureaucratic and extra-bureaucratic environments, promoting citizen oversight, and transforming societal norms and cultures that may otherwise rationalise or normalise corruption in public administration. This essay uses the Zambian anti-corruption experiences to put this into context. It concludes by providing valuable lessons and insights for institutionalisation and improving the ethical climate within African public bureaucracies. It shows that the Zambian anti-corruption strategies need better alignment with institutional culture to be effective. The National Anti-Corruption Policy has a robust plan for addressing these issues, including improving transparency in public service systems and organising integrity seminars for public officials. These strategies need to be implemented effectively to make a real impact. Improving public communication should ensure communal understanding of the effects of corruption in society. A communal approach should assist with identifying and contextualising narratives and framings relatable to ordinary citizens' ways of life. Like in most African countries, laws requiring senior government officials and politicians to utilise public facilities should be drafted and implemented. This will reduce the misappropriation of public funds by these officials while seeking medical attention and educating their dependents abroad.