Rwanda marks International Anti-Corruption Day with call to break silence

KIGALI, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda Friday marked the International Anti-Corruption Day with a call to the public to break the silence on graft in the country.

Speaking at an event to mark the anti-corruption day in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente acknowledged that graft is still prevalent in the east African country, despite positive ratings by some global and corruption watchdogs.

There are some institutions where it remains prevalent, he said, adding that victims' silence presents another challenge in graft fight.

The private sector has often chosen to bribe government officials while competing for tenders and to be paid faster for their procurement services, according to Rwandan Ombudsman Anastase Murekezi.

Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International this January placed Rwanda alongside Mauritius as the third least corrupt country in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, Rwanda Bribe Index released last June by the same watchdog shows that only 15 percent of the people who were asked to pay bribe report.

This should change, said Ngirente, urging the public to act as whistle blowers.

The General Assembly of the United Nations designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.

Every year 1 trillion U.S. dollars is paid in bribes while an estimated 2.6 trillion dollars are stolen annually through corruption, a sum equivalent to more than 5 percent of the global GDP, according to the United Nations.

In developing countries, funds lost to corruption are estimated at 10 times the amount of official development assistance, according to the United Nations Development Programme. Enditem