DCEC calls for better anti corruption funding
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday November 8, 2021 06:00
Katlholo was speaking at the Integrity Walk organised by Botswana Centre for Public Integrity (BCPI) over the weekend. “More often than not, organisations, corporations, ministries and departments treat anti-corruption as a compliance or public relations feature.
That is why, in most cases there is no budget for anti-corruption measures in most organisations; and where such a budget is provided, it is very minimal to make a significant impact in achieving the intended goal. But investing on anti-corruption measures is basically investment in ethical values, integrity, ultimately progressive governance,” he said. Katlholo said there was need to infuse anti-corruption measures in management systems of organisations and use of integrity to drive such measures.
He said anti-corruption measures relate to conduct which is anchored on ethical values and/or integrity as opposed to one driven by a desire for personal gain.
The chief corruption buster said the fight against corruption should be seen to begin from the leadership angle in terms of political will, good governance and promotion of integrity and good ethical behaviour or values. “Organisational culture, vision, values, mission, and priorities are driven by leaders through the concept of integrity, but corruption is the acid that corrodes all that. So, if leaders do not infuse the concept of integrity in their strategic plans, corruption will feed on their organisational culture, vision, values, mission and priorities,” he said.
Katlholo said the DCEC’s strategy, in the fight against corruption, embrace quality and integrity as an essential weapons to eliminate corruption. “I have no doubt in mind that this event marks a very important contribution in the fight against corruption because if we infuse integrity in our day to day conduct, there will be no corruption as no person would allow their conduct to be tainted or even attempt to influence others towards untoward behaviours,” he explained.
He commended the BCPI for their efforts in the fight against corruption and pledged to avail his office in their endeavours to mobilise the public to join hands with them in the fight against corruption. Another walker at the event, director of the Directorate Public Prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Tiroyakgosi said integrity starts at a very basic level with people and should be an everyday issue.
”Every action that you take is founded on integrity, on accountability, on good ethics. If you look at both private and government organisations, they have mission statements where they normally outline their values which include integrity, accountability, and openness. But, you ask yourself if in the conduct of business on individual basis or organisations, do we act with integrity or we leave it to the ownership of the organisation. I believe it is incumbent upon everyone of us to act with integrity, botho and be accountable for our everyday actions.
So when we think integrity, we must realise it applies across our everyday activity and not only when we enter our business premises,” he said. Amongst those in attendance were BCPI executive director Pusetso Morapedi and representatives of the Botswana Council on Non Governmental Organisations, United Nations Development Programme and Business Botswana. According to Morapedi, the walk was intended to build awareness and encourage all citizens to be part of a greater cause; building a culture of integrity in Botswana