Being leaders against corruption

Through its program against corruption, the Observatory against Corruption and Economic Embezzlement (OLUCOME), has initiated a project of clubs against corruption in some schools of Bujumbura City Council. The beneficiaries appreciate the initiative.-By Yves Didier Irakoze

A family picture of anticorruption club members of Municipal Kanyosha Lycée ©Iwacu

“We want our youths to be fully involved and educated against corruption and be the leaders of good governance,” points out Emmanuel Nkurunziza, in charge of the Projects at OLUCOME. According to Nkurunziza, this project has started since October 2013 with 42 secondary schools of Bujumbura City Council in order to teach student members of the anti corruption clubs the improvement of good governance and fight against corruption. Emmanuel Nkurunziza mentions that they sensitize and train the elected leaders in those clubs with the help of the headmasters of their respective schools.

“Those who are chosen to represent others are trained during two days and they go to sensitize others about what they benefit from the training and encourage them to adhere to those clubs,” states Nkurunziza. He also points out that they go to the field to motivate and encourage the youths. They often discuss answer to some questions related to corruption and mutual education by peer, which is the vision of the project. Emmanuel Nkurunziza adds that the OLUCOME will continue these activities of sensitizing the youths to the evils of corruption in the society.
“Through the program of sketches and poems often leading to competitions OLUCOME will publish them in order to sensitize, teach them as well as to raise Burundian youths’ awareness about bad effects of corruption,” states Emmanuel Nkurunziza.
Nkurunziza says that he is also satisfied with the way some schools in the countryside asked OLUCOME to set up this program in their schools.

“We learn and gain much”

According to Bénithe Akezamutima, a student and member of anti corruption club at Kanyosha Municipal “ Lycée”, through this project she has learned that giving a bribe is committing a crime like cheating in class, and if a person wants to get marks he/she doesn’t deserve, it is also a case of corruption. “Then, what I gain is that since I have known that corruption can cause harmful consequences in the whole community, I have decided to eradicate it where I am because it is a must to every citizen to fight against it,” declares Bénithe Akezamutima.
Seth Bimenyimana shares the same view as Bénithe Akezamutima. He indicates that he has got the opportunity to meet other students and share and exchange views on corruption. He has also had the opportunity to study how to fight against it through different programs, sketches, poems, songs, and plays as well as competitions that have gathered several schools of the country.
Vincent Kubwimana, also member of anticorruption club at Kanyosha Municipal “Lycée” on his side, calls upon other students to eradicate corruption at all levels by starting to avoid cheating and getting marks they don’t deserve because according to him “what goes around comes around”.
To the government, Kubwimana urges the leaders to fight against corruption and prevent this bad habit which makes the country lag behind rather than moving forward. “Corruption is like cancer, then let’s stand up and fight against it effectively,” he concludes.