Corruption in Africa: Causes, Consequences and Cleanups by John Mukum MbakuReview by: Peter ArthurCanadian Journal of African Studies / Revue Canadienne des Études Africaines, Vol. 42, No. 1(2008), pp. 188-190Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of the Canadian Association of African StudiesStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40380153 .

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i88 cjAS / RCEA 42: i 2008

contributing to the spread of Swahili language and literature through trans- lation, research, and widespread use.

In Chapter 4, Mazrui pursues further the theme of hybridity, arguing that works in Swahili translation have ultimately gained acceptance as part of the Swahili corpus. Consequently, Swahili translations of works from the West and the rest of the world such as George Orwell's Animal Farm or Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Merchant of Venice, axe part of the corpus of Swahili literature, and are fixed features on the required lists in schools and colleges. Mazrui concludes that as far as Swahili is concerned "borders have served less as walls that divide than as bridges that connect people" (167). One aspect that was not addressed in this section and that would have been equally engaging is the mistranslations of Swahili texts, such as Gerard Robert's poor English rendition of Muyaka's rich Swahili verses quoted in Mazrui's text (19-20).

Mazrui correctly makes a case for paying more attention to African languages and literatures in the western academy as a means of grasping the complexities of what he terms the "human experience" (3). Motivated by a humanist and multicultural temperament, Mazrui makes various useful comparisons between Swahili literature and literature from within and without Africa. Erudite and lucidly written, Swahili Beyond Borders is no doubt an outstanding contribution to the study of African literatures and languages in general, and Swahili studies in particular.

Kennedy Waliaula The Ohio State University

John Mukum Mbaku. Corruption in Africa: Causes, Consequences and Cleanups. New York, Toronto, Plymouth: Lexington Books, 2007. 383 pp.

Corruption, which is generally seen as the use of public office for private gain, has been one of the problems that has contributed to the socioeco- nomic underdevelopment of many African countries. In his latest contri- bution on the topic, John Mbaku's excellent book, Corruption in Africa: Causes, Consequences and Cleanups, adopts a public choice paradigm to explain in great detail the causes and consequences of corruption, as well as how to clean up the problem. His main argument is that institutional struc- tures that guarantee and protect democratic constitution making, constrain the power of the state, together with better financial management, wealth creation, sustainable development and corporate governance should form the basis of any anti-corruption strategies.

In Chapter 1, Mbaku provides an overview of the political and economic situation as well as governance structures that characterized African countries after independence. While experiencing some democratic rule, for the most part, many were ruled by authoritarian single parties or military rulers. This was worsened by the adoption of foreign structures

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Reviews / Comptes rendus 189

that were incongruent with local values, and the statist development model, which failed to achieve the desired socioeconomic results. In Chapter 2, Mbaku analyzes the relationship and linkage between what he calls bureaucratic and political corruption. He reviews the literature on the definition of corruption as well as the types and measurement of corrup- tion. Making use of country-specific cases and examples from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Chapter 3 gives an overview of corruption in Africa and discusses the causes of this socioeconomic vice. He argues that, despite the many anti-corruption initiatives by global institutions and African leaders, the tide of corruption has still not been stemmed because of a wide variety of reasons.

After laying the foundation for his discussion and argument, Chapter 4 provides a review of the literature on the impact of corruption. Mbaku points out that while some see corruption as a means of greasing the wheels of the civil service, others view it as a negative influence on entrepreneur- ship and efficiency in the public services. Despite the competing perspec- tives, Mbaku argues that corruption is overall very detrimental to socioeconomic development in Africa because it negatively affects wealth creation and does little to improve human conditions. While a problem that many African countries have had to grapple with, Mbaku rightly notes in Chapter 5 that corruption is a universal problem. Given its international nature and dimension, Mbaku argues that this has prompted further inter- ests in dealing with the problem from governmental and non-governmen- tal organizations. He contends that the improvements in information communication technology and the globalization process have seen corrup- tion take on an international dimension. Chapter 6 deals with what he calls traditional approaches (societal, legal, market, and political) to the cleanup of corruption in Africa. After examining in detail these four approaches, he notes deficiencies with each of them. To overcome these deficiencies, he proposes a new paradigm that involves, among others, an independent media, which is yet to take its place because of absence of well-defined laws governing media operations, and the political will, to implement corrup- tion cleanups. In Chapter 7, he introduces the public choice theory and discusses why it provides a better understanding of the problem of corrup- tion and how it could help contribute to overcoming it. In Chapter 8, he details the role of institutions in the efforts to cleanup corruption. These institutional arrangements he points out could be achieved through what he calls democratic constitution making. This is because democratic constitution making constrains the state, limits opportunistic and rent- seeking behaviour on the part of the state and guarantees economic free- dom. In Chapter 9, Mbaku looks at corruption in the public sector as it relates to management of public resources and offers suggestions on how to minimize them. He notes that public servants directly and indirectly appro- priate public resources for their own personal and private use, and also extort bribes from entrepreneurs seeking government contracts. He suggests that these problems can be dealt with through democratic consti- tution making, which has at its core political competition and accountabil-

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ity. These, he believes, will ensure probity and transparency in the discharge of duties by public servants.

This is followed in Chapter 10 which focuses on the role of participa- tory corporate governance and how its effectiveness can prevent firm managers and public servants from maximizing individual interests at the expense of the public and firm stakeholders. Mbaku believes that an inclu- sive approach to corporate governance can enhance wealth creation as well as constrain opportunistic behaviour by management. In Chapter 1 1, while acknowledging the contribution of many governmental and international non-governmental organizations such as USAID, Freedom House, and Transparency International in the fight against global corruption, he is generally critical of the advice offered by what he calls institutional experts. This is because while they could provide critical resources that can comple- ment local efforts, he adds that until the necessary institutional arrange- ments as embodied in democratic constitution making are put in place, their efforts will be fruitless. Mbaku ends in Chapter 12 by summarizing his core argument, that constitutional government as found in limited govern- ment, a bottom-up, participatory, and inclusive approach to governance are key to efforts of cleaning up corruption. While offering some suggestions and policies that need to be adopted, he suggests that entrenched self-inter- ests as well as the nature of colonial rule have made it quite difficult for the institutions necessary for dealing with corruption from taking hold.

Given the wealth of information provided, it will be disingenuous for this short review to claim that it has fully and adequately discussed all the issues raised in Mbaku's book. Nonetheless, it can be said that the strength of the book lies in the adoption of a materialistic interpretation of corrup- tion. By outlining how self-interest leads to corruption, as well as calling for democratic constitution making and its concomitant institutional struc- tures, he believes that the tide of corruption could be stemmed. While Mbaku's anti-corruption strategies might be helpful, one cannot also under- estimate the importance of measures that can provide citizens greater access to public information. Moreover, the strengthening of existing laws to ensure that corrupt practices are dealt with by very harsh punishment such as long prison sentences for perpetrators, as well as rewarding those public servants who exhibit high ethical standards and commitment in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities could be helpful. Furthermore, the book could have highlighted some cases in Africa where successful corruption cleanup had occurred rather than reinforce the general negative perception of corruption being endemic on the continent. Also, his argu- ment that the necessary institutions needed to achieve democratic consti- tution making are absent implies that the status quo of corruption will be maintained. Be that as it may, Mbaku's analysis is meritorious because he uses concrete examples and evidence to support his theoretical arguments.

Peter Arthur Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia

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