Factors fueling traffic corruption

Am sure most people tend to blame law enforcement officers as perpetrators of traffic corruption. Well indeed this is the demand side. What about the supply side - Motorists. A lot of drivers are guilty of offering bribes for contravening traffic regulations. Imagine if the supply of bribes is curtailed. If all drivers took the responsibility of ensuring that the state of their vehicle is roadworthy and all traffic regulations adhered to, chances are that since they are on the side of the law, they will not tolerate paying a bribe... PAY FOR WHAT?

An examination of traffic corruption in Zambia that takes place between public transport drivers and law enforcement officers show that the fact that public transport drivers constantly break traffic regulations, this fuels traffic corruption. Factors that stimulate traffic corruption with regard to public transport operators include the following:

 i) The taxi and bus drivers are not often the owners of the vehicles. The drivers are given cash targets that have to be met daily. This often makes them be in a rush always to pick and drop customers and in the process a number of traffic regulations are broken due to careless driving.

ii) There is a high number of illegally (corruptly) obtained public transport drivers licences. This means that among the drivers, some of them are not qualified to drive. This further implies that these unqualified drivers do not know the traffic regulations, especially pertaining to public transport operations. 
  

iii) Related to the above, most drivers are not formally educated on the traffic regulations as the training for driving may have been conducted by anybody other than formal driving schools. 

iv) A number of public transport vehicles are often not certified road worthy, insured and not issued with the required transport operator’s permit.  This compromised the integrity of the driver and predisposes the driver to corrupt activities with traffic officers. 

v) When an offence has been committed, the owner of the vehicle is requested to go and resolve the problem. Since the owner of the vehicle and the driver want to have  the vehicle back on the road to make money, and having the vehicle impounded by traffic officers is loss of business, a lot of corruption takes place involving drivers, the owners of the vehicles and traffic officers. Most of this corruption is never reported since there is an implied satisfaction for all parties involved.  

vi)The greed for money exhibited by traffic officers make them go out to find offences even where they do not exist and extort money from often innocent motorists. 

vii) The numerous police check points in the country found at almost every main entry or exit road of a town and along highways and the frequent traffic road blocks or mounted speed traps in the inner routes of towns create opportunities for corruption. While random police checks are necessary, the regular and permanent check points have been viewed by many people as not serving any purpose other than perpetrating corruption.

Traffic Corruption - Tell Your Story

I believe most of us have had an experience of corruption in one form or the other.It may have simply been a request for a favour but with strings attached that we did not mind to do because we too benefited in one way or the other, or indeed it could have been blatant demand for a bribe from a traffic law enforcement officer because we had broken traffic regulations. If not, we may have witnessed or heard about a corrupt act that took place somewhere. Everyone involved often has a very good reason for engaging in corruption, especially so in poor countries. And the reasons range from poverty and poor economic conditions,that is, attempts to meet basic needs such as food, decent shelter, need for money for medication or for sending children to school, etc. Whatever the case might have been and whatever the reasons advanced, does the means justify the end? What is your experience or view about traffic corruption?

Getting Started-Anti Corruption Campaign

Fighting corruption is something I have been involved in for the last couple of years now. It is a difficult task. Changing people's attitude is challenging. There are no immediate results, and it sometimes makes me feel like I have been chasing the wind. But, it can be done,  it's been done before elsewhere. Australia and Hong Kong are classic examples. Its such successes that make me keep going. Although total eradication may be unattainable, the scourge can be reduced to minimal levels, just like other crimes. While this project am embarking on appears  fighting symptoms of corruption, it is also a major effort in the right direction. But  of course addressing the root causes is always the best.

Previously my work involved law enforcement but now am into communication closely linked to community education. I believe that a united front against corruption will carry the day.

Tackling Traffic Corruption - Project Proposal

After several days of soul searching, I wish to present to you the project proposal:

Project Title:

Anti-Corruption Campaign against traffic corruption

Project Aim:
This project aims at galvanizing public support against traffic corruption and involves public transport operators as partners in the reduction of traffic corruption. (below is a You Tube video captured by NTV in Kenya depicting the extent of the problem of traffic corruption. This is exactly what happens in Zambia too.)


 
Project Rationale:
Corruption in Zambia is a reality and a serious challenge to efficient, equitable public service delivery and national development. This project emanate from the fact that traffic corruption in Zambia continues to be rampant and a menace to most motorists as is evident from the reports received by the Anti-Corruption Commission (sector reports), while it is also acknowledged that most cases go unreported due to satisfied benefits of both the giver and the receiver. The project will focus mainly on the supply side of bribes (motorist) while engaging the demand side (law enforcement officers), as key players in this vicious cycle.

Project Action:

The project will employ a number of community engagement strategies in the course of achieving the aim of the project as a collective action. Some of them will include creating awareness among public transport operators and law enforcement officers on the effects of corruption on society and the nation at large through workshops, building coalition and networking between public transport operators and traffic law enforcement officers/ institutions towards tackling the vice through meetings and or forums, seeking public support against the vice through various media channels, advocacy and collaborative planning in identifying measures and steps that can be utilised in addressing the vice.

Risk Identification:

Corruption often involves two players as is the case in this project. In analysing the risks, the key question that arises is ‘Who Benefits from this vice.’ There are some players on both sides who greatly benefit from this vice and will oppose the project or indeed not participate in the implementation of measures to be identified so that they promote the status quo.

Thoughts About the Project

I have spent the last week sifting through various project areas that I could possibly tackle and I finally thought of doing something relevant to my situation and work environment, something that I could possibly make use of  at a later stage. And so I have finally settled on working on a project that aims at addressing corruption or bribery among traffic officers in Zambia i.e an 'Ant-Corruption Campaign/Awareness against corruption among traffic officers.' Other than a direct approach of creating programs aimed at traffic officers, I have thought of the involvement of key stakeholders in the traffic realm - Motorist.