TANZANIA, through the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), has secured a seat on the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC), representing the East African region.

The election, which took place on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, saw Tanzania’s candidate, Benjamin Kapera, emerge victorious with 33 out of 48 votes, equivalent to 69 percent. 

He defeated the incumbent candidate from Madagascar, who was seeking re-election for a second term and secured just 14 votes.

The AUABC is an autonomous body of the African Union (AU), established under Article 22 of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. 

The board’s primary role is to provide advisory services and oversee the implementation of the 2003 AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, a convention that Tanzania has both signed and ratified.

The Advisory Board comprises 11 members, with two representatives from each region (East, West, North, South, and Central), and an additional rotating slot. Members are elected by the AU Executive Council from a list of highly qualified experts with integrity, impartiality, and recognized competence in anti-corruption matters. Board members serve two-year terms, renewable only once.

The achievement underscores Tanzania’s strong commitment to combating corruption, both within its borders and across the African continent, while enhancing its influence in the continent’s efforts to tackle corruption on a larger scale.