Poverty and Corruption in Lesotho: A Critical Analysis of Lesotho’s Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO)


Authors : Mpho Manesa; Mpolai Mpho Tšehlo

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 10 - October


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/5n6dwarr

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3u258vdr

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1956

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : This research paper examines the efficacy of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) in combating corruption within Lesotho, while also attempting to establish a correlation with the prevailing poverty conditions in the nation. The investigation was structured around three distinct objectives that facilitated the formulation of pertinent research inquiries. The methodology employed comprised desk reviews designed to identify, validate, and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data sourced from secondary literature to evaluate the operational performance of the DCEO in relation to case load management and successful prosecutions. Data collection was conducted through secondary sources, with subsequent analysis being performed utilizing content analysis techniques, and the results were articulated through thematic organization and narrative presentation. The findings reveal that legal and institutional elements, including the DCEO's autonomy and legal mandate, significantly enhance its capacity to combat corruption in Lesotho. Moreover, various obstacles confronting the organization encompass political interference, limited financial resources, and challenges related to human resources. In light of these findings, it is posited that a systematic reform of the DCEO's operational framework is imperative for advancing its efforts against corruption in Lesotho. This paper further proffers recommendations for the government to make substantial investments in supporting the DCEO to enhance its operational efficiency and effectiveness, along with the removal of any encroachments that impede its performance.

Keywords : Lesotho, Public Institutions, Poverty, Corruption.

References :

  1. 'Nyane, H. (2020). 3. A critique of the newly proposed model of decentralisation in Lesotho. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, doi: 10.5130/CJLG.VI22.7074
  2. ‘Nyane, H. (2022). Lesotho bungles political reforms, risking fresh bout of instability after 2022 poll. https://theconversation.com/lesotho-bungles-political-reforms-risking-fresh-bout-of-instability-after-2022-poll-191778
  3. African Union. (2020).  https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20201208/africa-calls-international-taxation-systems-reforms-it-forges-common-position
  4. Amin, M. and Motta, V. (2023). The impact of corruption on SMEs’ access to finance: Evidence using firm-level survey data from developing countries, Journal of Financial Stability,Vol 68.
  5. Amnon, V., Matayo., A., Jamilu, A., & Musa, A.M. (2023). Efficient Management of Information Communication Technology Resources in an Organisation. Qeios,  doi: 10.32388/npd8vx.2
  6. Anthony, O., Nwafor. (2013). The Lesotho Constitution and doctrine of separation of powers: reflections on the judicial attitude. African Journal of Legal Studies, 6(1):49-68. doi: 10.1163/17087384-12342020
  7. Asomba, I. U., Owa, J. T., & Chime, J. O. (2023). Effect of Tax Evasion and Avoidance on Economic Development of Grassroots in Nigeria. Journal of Policy and Development Studies, Vol. (14)2. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jpds.v14i2.2
  8. Ayodeji, G.I. (2022). Grand Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Feasibility of Establishing International Anti-Corruption Court. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS DANUBIUS Vol. 11, no. 1/2019. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360671018
  9. Bukhari, S. J. R., Cheema, A. R., & Shah, S. Z. A. (2022). Investigating the Impact of Corruption on Poverty in Pakistan. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 8(2), 521–530. https://doi.org/10.26710/jbsee.v8i2.2354
  10. Chitakunye, P., David, O J., Derera, E., & Tarkhar, A. (2015). Transnational Analysis of the Impact of Corruption on Development in Africa: A Review of Literature. , 42(1-2), 129-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718923.2015.11893402
  11. Commonwealth iLibrary. (2018). Tackling Corruption in Commonwealth Africa: Case Studies of Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda and Seychelles.  https://doi.org/10.14217/d28da3df-en
  12. Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offenses. (2019). DCEO Annual Report 2017-18. https://www.dceo.org.ls/download/dceo-annual-report-2017-18/
  13. Dunn. A. (2023).  The poverty-crime nexus revisited: absolute poverty, relative poverty, and crime rates in 105 countries. International journal of comparative and applied criminal justice, doi: 10.1080/01924036.2023.2292044
  14. Eshun, J., & Baah, J. A. (2020). What Does Recent Survey Data Say About the Effect of Corruption on Poverty in Africa?  Journal of Economics, Management and Trade, 25(6), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.9734/jemt/2019/v25i630214
  15. Eza, Tri, Yandy., A., Y., Tauvani., Sulaeman, Sulaeman., M., Yusuf., Muhammad, Isa. (2024). 2. The Principle of Checks and Balances in Islamic State Administration Studies.   doi: 10.58824/mediasas. v7i1.118
  16. Fakir, A. M., Ahmad, A. U., Hosain, K. M., Hossain, M. R., & Gani, R. S. (2017). The comparative effect of corruption and Piketty’s second fundamental law of capitalism on inequality. Economic Analysis and Policy, 55, 90-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eap.2017.04.006
  17. Francis, K., Makoa. (2020). 2. Beyond the Electoral Triumphalism: Reflections on Lesotho's Coalition Government and Challenges. The Strategic Review for Southern Africa, doi: 10.35293/SRSA.V36I1.154
  18. Gamba, S. L., Gimba, H. Y., & Mohammed, R. (2021). Empirical Analysis of the Effect of Corruption on Poverty in Nigeria from. JOURNAL OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION, 9(2).
  19. Gbadamosi, G. (2014). Corruption perception and sustainable development: Sharing Botswana’s anti-graft agency experiences. AOSIS, 9(2), 262-276. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v9i2.1151
  20. Gouvea, R., Li, S., & Vora, G. (2019). Corruption and Levels of Economic Development: A Cross-Country Assessment with Special Reference to Africa. Scientific Research Publishing, 10(09), 2063-2084. https://doi.org/10.4236/me.2019.109130
  21. Government of Lesotho. (2016). National Anti-Corruption Strategy Plan. https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/LSO/NACSAP.pdf
  22. İnam, B., Güzel, S., & Murat, D. (2019). The correlation between corruption and socioeconomic development: An application for OECD countries. Hacettepe University Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 37(2), 325-339. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.17065/huniibf.373711
  23. Islam, M. S. (2018). Independent Judiciary: Nature and facets from the international context. International Journal of Ethics in Social Sciences, 6(2).
  24. José, Javier, HernandezNúñez, Velázquez. (2021). Estado actual y nuevas aproximaciones a la medición de la pobreza.  27(2):325-343. doi: 10.25115/EEA.V27I2.4920
  25. Justesen, M K., & Bjørnskov, C. (2014). Exploiting the Poor: Bureaucratic Corruption and Poverty in Africa. Elsevier BV, 58, 106-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.01.002
  26. Kakwani, N & Son, H.H. (2016). Relative Deprivation and Social Groups.   doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-58325-3_4.
  27. Kali, M. (2022). Rebellious Civil Society and Democratic Consolidation in Lesotho. Journal of Social and Economic Development, doi: 10.1007/s40847-022-00189-x
  28. Laura Policardo, Edgar J. Sánchez Carrera, Corruption causes inequality, or is it the other way around? An empirical investigation for a panel of countries, Economic Analysis and Policy, Volume 59, 2018, Pages 92-102,
  29. Manyaka, R K., & Nkuna, N. (2014). The Phenomenon of Corruption in the South African Public Sector: Challenges and Opportunities. Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1572
  30. Mfondo, M. (2024). Factors contributing to the failure of development projects in Cameroon. https://onpolicy.org/factors-contributing-to-the-failure-of-development-projects-in-cameroon/.
  31. Mohamed, Sami, Ben, Ali., Shrabani, Saha. (2016). Corruption and economic development.  133-154. doi: 10.1057/9781137480668_6
  32. Monyake, M. (2020). Corruption, and the seeds of its destruction in Lesotho. https://democracyinafrica.org/corruption-destruction-lesotho/
  33. Mpesi, M. (2024). Oversight institutions lament underfunding. https://lestimes.com/oversight-institutions-lament-underfunding/
  34. Mwesigwa, D. (2021). Public service delivery in Uganda: a reconsideration of grand corruption. , 1(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.35912/dpd.v1i1.400
  35. Nezami, P.N., Shojaei, P., & Ebrahimi, A. (2024). Anti-corruption measures in large-scale construction projects. Ima Journal of Management Mathematics,  doi: 10.1093/imaman/dpad030
  36. Nikolić, I., Dhamo, Z. H., Schulte, P., Mihajlović, I. & Kume, V. (2015). An analysis of factors affecting failure of SMEs. In proceedings of the 11th International May Conference on Strategic Management-IMKSM. Bor, Serbia. Pp. 160-180.
  37. Nkyabonaki, J. (2019). Effectiveness of the Public Service Code of Ethics in Controlling Corrupt Behaviour in The Public Service: Opinion from the Grassroots at Toangoma Ward-Temeke Municipal Council. SAGE Publishing, 54(8), 1195-1212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909619862835
  38. Nomazulu, Ngozwana. (2022). 4. The Trajectory of Contemporary Governance in Lesotho: A Transition towards Coalition Government. Journal of education, teaching and social studies,  doi: 10.22158/jetss.v4n4p35
  39. Nwafor, A. O. (2013). The Lesotho constitution and doctrine of separation of powers: reflections on the judicial attitude. African Journal of Legal Studies, 6(1), 49-68.
  40. Olaoye C. O., Ogunleye S. A., Solanke F. T. (2018). Tax audit and tax productivity in Lagos state. Asian J. Acc. Res. 3, 202–210. doi: 10.1108/AJAR-08-2018-0028
  41. Oliveira da Silva, D., Lopes Ribeiro, L. Tatiwa Ferreira, R., Martins Costa, E., & Urano de Carvalho Castelar, P. (2022). Causality between corruption and poverty: an analysis for South American countries. Estudios económicos 39 (79), pp. 195-218. DOI. https://doi.org/10.52292/j.estudecon.2022.2818
  42. Phakela, M 2024. Exposed: M109m fraud at agric ministry. https://lestimes.com/exposed-m109m-fraud-at-agric-ministry/  
  43. Plessis, P. D. (2014). Corruption in Education – Stealing the Future. Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1308
  44. Remeikienė, R., Gasparėnienė, L., Chadyšas, V & Raistenskis, E. (2020). Links between corruption and quality of life in European Union. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(4):2664-2675. doi: 10.9770/JESI.2020.7.4(7)
  45. Rose-Ackerman, S. (2017). 1. Corruption and Development.   doi: 10.4324/9781315092577-16
  46. Transparency International. (2023). Tackling grand corruption impunity. https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/tackling-grand-corruption-impunity
  47. Transparency International. (2024). Corruption Perceptions Index. https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/lesotho
  48. UNSDG. (2023). LESOTHO COMMON COUNTRY ANALYSIS. https://unsdg.un.org/latest/stories/4-ways-un-teams-are-boosting-data-transparency-and-accountability
  49. Warf, B. (2017). Geographies of African corruption. Emerald Publishing Limited, 1(1), 20-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/prr-12-2016-0012
  50. World Bank. (2019). Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Finance Improving SMEs’ access to finance and finding innovative solutions to unlock sources of capital. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/smefinance
  51. World Bank. (2021). Poverty & Equity Brief: Africa Eastern & Southern, Lesotho. www.worldbank.org/poverty
  52. Yohou, H. D. (2023). Corruption, tax reform and fiscal space in emerging and developing economies. The World Economy, 46(4), 1082-1118.
  53. Yunan, Z., & Andini, A. (2018). Corruption, Poverty, and Economic Growth (Causality Studies among Asean Countries). JEJAK: Jurnal Ekonomi dan Kebijakan, 11(2), 413-428. doi: https://doi.org/10.15294/jejak.v11i2.16061
  54. Zheng, R. & Li, P. (2024). A Study on the Measurement of Relative Poverty in Developing Countries with Large Populations. Sustainability, doi: 10.3390/su16135638

This research paper examines the efficacy of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) in combating corruption within Lesotho, while also attempting to establish a correlation with the prevailing poverty conditions in the nation. The investigation was structured around three distinct objectives that facilitated the formulation of pertinent research inquiries. The methodology employed comprised desk reviews designed to identify, validate, and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data sourced from secondary literature to evaluate the operational performance of the DCEO in relation to case load management and successful prosecutions. Data collection was conducted through secondary sources, with subsequent analysis being performed utilizing content analysis techniques, and the results were articulated through thematic organization and narrative presentation. The findings reveal that legal and institutional elements, including the DCEO's autonomy and legal mandate, significantly enhance its capacity to combat corruption in Lesotho. Moreover, various obstacles confronting the organization encompass political interference, limited financial resources, and challenges related to human resources. In light of these findings, it is posited that a systematic reform of the DCEO's operational framework is imperative for advancing its efforts against corruption in Lesotho. This paper further proffers recommendations for the government to make substantial investments in supporting the DCEO to enhance its operational efficiency and effectiveness, along with the removal of any encroachments that impede its performance.

Keywords : Lesotho, Public Institutions, Poverty, Corruption.

Never miss an update from Papermashup

Get notified about the latest tutorials and downloads.

Subscribe by Email

Get alerts directly into your inbox after each post and stay updated.
Subscribe
OR

Subscribe by RSS

Add our RSS to your feedreader to get regular updates from us.
Subscribe