Between spin and reality: examining disclosure practices in three African countries

The declaration of assets and liabilities represents a growing trend in the avoidance and resolution of conflict of interest and has become a part of an integrated strategy to control corruption. This article reviews practices in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda by addressing questions of who must declare, what must be declared, where to declare and how often to declare. It argues that like all the other mechanisms for controlling corruption, its efficacy depends on enforcement and compliance. The three cases reviewed suggest that there is a significant gap between the rhetoric of declaration and the reality of effective monitoring and compliance to make the system work to ensure transparency and public trust.