FKF Speaker Series: Anti-Corruption Commissioner Hon. Francis Ben Kaifala

In its effort to recognise individuals doing well in the public and private sectors of society, the Francis Koroma Foundation conducted a special interview on 1 March 2024 with Sierra Leone's Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Hon. Francis Ben Kaifala.

Opening the conversation, moderator Francis Koroma explained that the purpose of the interview is to listen to the personal stories of successful and dynamic people whose journeys will inspire people in Sierra Leone and around the world — and shared his personal admiration for the Commissioner's quest to combat corruption in Africa.

Asked what influenced his desire to stand against corruption, the Commissioner said it is because he wants the best for the country, and wants to end violence. Most people engage in violence because of corruption, he argued. In terms of development rankings Sierra Leone is far behind, as essential amenities that should be the rights of citizens are not being delivered — citizens are sidelined and marginalised, and left to suffer. Sierra Leoneans have failed themselves, he said, and no country can flourish when personal gain is placed above everything else.

The Commissioner was clear that ending corruption is not impossible, but can only be achieved through collective effort — which is why he is determined to work with government to achieve it. He recalled his appointment as Anti-Corruption Commissioner as a great day for someone who had been at the forefront of the fight, and whose background as a lawyer had long drawn him to the work with passion and determination.

The key to ending the fight, he continued, is for everyone to act as responsible people, and for leaders to be leaders in their own right and take the steps that can change Sierra Leone. People are too cynical, he said, and that attitude affects all walks of life. Many are unaware that they are damaging the country, carrying the mentality that if they don't steal, someone else will — and that negligent attitude has been a factor in corruption and under-development.

In conclusion, Commissioner Kaifala underscored that the first thing to do is to build trust in the system, and to confront the extreme cynicism that both citizens and political leaders carry. There is no country in the world without corruption, he said — but if the spoiler mentality can be refuted and the political class can be more productive and responsible, the rate of corruption will be of minimal effect.