DCEC, BOCONGO endeavour to combat corruption

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday February 11, 2020 16:07

 

The two entities will work together in promoting participation of the civil society in anti-corruption endeavours.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU, DCEC director general Brigadier Joseph Mathambo said fighting corruption required a lot of resources therefore DCEC would endorse BOCONGO’s concept for donor funding. He added that the MoU would go a long way in addressing the gaps that had been there between the DCEC and independent Civil Society Organisations.

“The United Nations Convention Against Corruption Article 13 speaks directly to the issue of promotion of active participation of individuals and groups outside the public sector, such as civil society, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations in the prevention of and the fight against corruption to raise public awareness regarding the existence, causes and gravity of and the threat posed by corruption. The DCEC is most gratified by this step, which signifies commitment and strengthens DCEC relations with society through this MoU,” he said. 

He further explained that the directorate had an obligation to enhance involvement of stakeholders in the fight against corruption. He said that obligation was premised on the current Vision 2036, which specifically advocates for community participation in the fight against corruption to advance democracy, good governance and rule of law.

Mathambo also stated that the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption Article 12 requires state parties to be fully engaged in the fight against corruption and related offences with full participation of the civil society at large.

For his part, the executive director of BOCONGO, Botho Seboko said his organisation was ready to commit to seek remedial action to a pandemic eroding all imaginable pockets of the society, corruption. He said through the signing of that MoU chains all its members to the commitment herein contained in the MoU, to assist government in its fight against corruption.

“Our constituency as CSO, are our communities and with this act, we reaffirm alongside yourselves that indeed you are out to kill the monster robbing Batswana of all dreams and aspirations envisioned in Vision 2036,” he said.