Over
the past few months there has been several governments tainted with corruption
on the international scene, and these revelations have come about as a result
of investigative journalists becoming more daring and their quest to tell the
story as it is, and not the usual distorted views. Several huge amounts of
monies badly needed to build hospitals, health centers, provide portable and
good drinking water etc etc have been siphoned by certain individuals within
their respective governments into numerous offshore bank accounts, leaving the
innocent and vulnerable citizens in deplorable conditions.
In
South Africa, the President is alleged to have used the state’s money to
renovate his private residence in his hometown, Nkandla. This has been debated
several times in the South African Parliament several times with some MPs
calling for him to step down, but surprisingly Jacob Zuma survived a vote of
“no confidence” when the matter was put to the vote. He would have been
impeached if the vote had gone contrary. South Africa is also facing a problem
where the Guptas who are very influential when it comes to appointments by the
government and the awarding of contracts. All these are traces of corrupt practices
that is giving South Africa a bad image on the international scene.
In
Brazil, the President, Dilma Roussef is facing a possible impeachment over
allegations that she manipulated the government finances to prop up the
government on a sound economic footing. Thus she did not tell her people the
true and real nature of Brazil’s economy. Most of her coalition partners have
already deserted her and she is now accusing them of being traitors. The
outcome of the impeachment proceedings will be out for the whole world to see.
She has denied all the allegations leveled against her and the government.
Then
here comes the #PanamaPapers or #PanamaLeaks which has revealed the hiding of
huge sums of monies by several past and present leaders, politicians and influential
businessmen and women in tax havens in several countries managed by the law
firm Mossack Fonseca. Cronies and friends of several leaders have also been
cited in the leaks. My question is why will they hide their monies in tax
havens while the ordinary citizens in their respective countries pay the taxes
to develop the countries? Indeed, these revelations have really highlighted the
issue of money laundering and the dirty money used by some governments, drug
barons and other individuals to propagate their nefarious, frivolous, luxurious
and opulent lifestyles. As with several leaks, this one too will go unpunished
as several tax havens exist in the Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, Macau etc
etc. The fires of corruption has been really stoked for a long time and the
international dimension that it has gotten to needs to be addressed otherwise
the ordinary citizens will rise up one day and put an end to it.
