Morocco’s Anti-Corruption Watchdogs: Toothless Tigers in a Sea of Scandal

In most cases, corruption cases are revealed by private recordings, journalistic investigations or citizen actions. As for cases of illicit enrichment and misappropriation of public funds, they often break out at the time of the division of the spoils, writes Al Akhbar, which questions the real effectiveness of the inspection committees, responsible for controlling the management of public affairs and the use of taxpayers’ money.

Yet these bodies are endowed with substantial means and broad powers to conduct the necessary investigations on the services concerned. Unfortunately, they produce few reports whose content remains superficial. Better, they do not follow up on complaints or reports that are brought to their attention, laments the daily newspaper, noting that these oversight institutions do not play their role, leaving room for "improvised" control on social networks where abuses, campaigns and score-settling are recorded.

Strengthening control by these official institutions is essential to put an end to this anarchy. Sanctions must be taken against members or heads of inspection committees in case of complicity in the finding of certain offenses, in order to fight against impunity. Similarly, speed must be observed in the processing of inspection reports. This involves modernizing control methods and adapting them to the social, economic and political realities of the kingdom.