How Corruption Has Become An African Culture In Doing Business

Posted by: lukwago J in Business March 24, 2023

It is difficult to do business without involving in corruption. People have made it a culture that if you are to be given a job you have to bribe those in position of influence to make it possible.

In this world, bribe has been given names to make it sound right. We are where we are as Africans because of corruption. This is a very bad culture of doing business because it compromises good quality delivery.

IF EVERYONE IS DOING IT DOES IT MAKES IT RIGHT?

Corruption is wrong.

For the past 14 years of my experience in business, I have suffered so many consequences as a result of refusing to give bribe. In my entire life as an entrepreneur, I have never awarded a tender of any significance. We participate in bidding so many tenders day in day out but never succeeded.

My organization has grown big and we have capacity to carry out any type of job and deliver good service. In so many occasions, we are approached by different organizations that will be interested to work with us, we will only not agree on the approach of bribe. Once we say no to bribe, we automatically lose the job.

We have lost jobs that could have made us millions of dollars, but if you are principled, you cannot sell your dignity for money.

It is a very strong policy in our organization that we do not tolerate any form of corruption. Sometimes I see a great disappointment from my stuff after working tirelessly to compile a tender, travel long kilometres to submit and witness tender opening, our bid being average among other bidders, they return with a smile hoping that they would get a slot, only to receive a letter that we unfortunately didn’t make it.

In very few occasions that we will be given a slot to supply or deliver service, after the job is done and well done, the payment will delay unnecessary just to frustrate you to offer a bribe for the money to be released.

Corruption mentality;

One day I was talking to a friend about this issue and he laughed at me, he said Barmlo, just play the game right, give these guys what they want or “ucharamba uchifudza vame vachikama” I don’t know how I can write this expression better in English, “something like, you will keep cattle in the grazing while others are milking”

I said to him, I don’t believe in bribing, I feel very offended when someone propose a bribe to me. I feel very wronged if someone demands a bribe. It is from within and I will never be at peace if I am to participate in bribe.

I believe jobs must be given on merit. Not because of bribe. I know this is the battle that cannot be won by one person. It needs our collectiveness as a generation to say no to corruption.

Say no to corruption, rather face the consequences of losing the job than to bind your neck on corrupt money.

Corruption destroys our future and generations to come.

By B. Marambire

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