Stellenbosch Handbooks in African Constitutional Law

This fourth volume in the Stellenbosch Handbooks in African Constitutional Law series, like its predecessors, emerges from the Stellenbosch Annual Seminar on Constitutionalism in Africa (SASCA). Consistent with SASCA’s mission, the volume centres on a topic of pressing constitutional importance: the pervasive challenge of corruption across Africa. Corruption, deeply embedded in the continent’s social, economic, and political spheres, is a core obstacle to constitutionalism and democratic governance. Although its detrimental impact has long been evident, serious attention to the issue has only been mobilized in recent years. Most anti-corruption efforts have been symbolic rather than substantive. The African Union’s 2018 declaration of the 'African Anti-Corruption Year' along with the annual designation of 11 July as ‘Africa Anti-Corruption Day’ reflects a growing recognition by African governments of the urgent need for action. The key objective of this volume is to draw attention to the problem of corruption and the need for remedial action. It seeks to foreground corruption as a critical threat to constitutional governance. In doing so, it contributes to ongoing efforts on accountability, and the promotion of meaningful reform. This volume serves as both a timely call to action and a foundational text for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to confront corruption in Africa. By placing corruption squarely on the constitutional agenda, it advances the broader struggle for governance rooted in integrity, accountability, and the rule of law.