WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Corruption, trust, and performance of political leaders Findings from Afrobarometer Round 6 survey in Sierra Leone
At a glance Trust: Sierra Leoneans express lower levels of trust in the president, local government councilors, the National Revenue Authority, the ruling party, and the army than they did in 2012. The proportion who say they trust the president somewhat or a lot declined from 70% to 52%. Corruption: Seven of ten Sierra Leoneans (70%) say that corruption increased over the previous year, and only one-third of respondents think citizens can make a difference in the fight against corruption. Performance: About half (51%) of Sierra Leoneans approve of the president s performance over the previous 12 months, while about seven in ten disapprove of the performance of their MPs and local government councilors. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
What is Afrobarometer? An African-led, non-partisan survey research project that measures citizen attitudes on democracy and governance, the economy, civil society, and other topics. Started in 12 countries in 1999, expanded to 35 African countries in Round 5 (2011-2013). Goal: To give the public a voice in policymaking by providing high-quality public opinion data to policymakers, policy advocates, civil society organizations, academics, news media, donors and investors, and ordinary Africans. National Partners in each country conduct the survey. In Sierra Leone, Afrobarometer Round 6 survey field work was conducted by ITASCAP, and CGG and Lena Thompson are responsible for dissemination of results. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Where Afrobarometer works
Methodology Nationally representative sample of adult citizens All respondents are randomly selected. Sample is distributed across districts/provinces and urban/rural areas in proportion to their share in the national population. Every adult citizen has an equal chance of being selected. Face-to-face interviews In the language of the respondent s choice. Standard questionnaire allows comparisons across countries and over time. Sample size in Sierra Leone of 1,200 adult citizens yields countrylevel results with a margin of error of +/-3% at a 95% confidence level. Fieldwork for Round 6 in Sierra Leone was conducted between 22 May and 10 June 2015. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Survey demographics Gender Location Region Education Religion Unweighted (%) Weighted ( % ) Male 49 50 Female 51 50 Urban 37 37 Rural 63 63 East 25 25 North 33 33 South 22 22 West 20 20 No formal education 46 45 Primary 13 13 Secondary 28 28 Post-secondary 13 14 Christian 23 22 Muslim 73 73 Other 4 4 WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Results
WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Trust in public institutions
Key findings Compared to the previous survey in 2012, citizens express lower levels of trust in the president, local government councillors, the National Revenue Authority, the ruling party, and the army. The proportion of citizens who say they trust the president somewhat or a lot declined from 70% to 52%. Less than one-third (31%) of citizens say they trust the police somewhat or a lot. Sierra Leoneans remain divided over their trust in the National Electoral Commission. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Trust in the president 2012-2015 80 70 70% 60 50 44% 52% 40 30 29% 20 10 5% 1% 0 Not at All/Just a Little Somewhat/A Lot Don't Know R6 2015 R5 2012 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The president?
Trust in National Electoral Commission 2012-2015 60 56% 50 50% 40 42% 37% 30 20 13% 10 2% 0 Not at all/just a little Somewhat/A lot Don't Know R6 2015 R5 2012 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The National Electoral Commission (NEC)?
Trust in the National Revenue Authority 2012-2015 70 60 60% 50 40 49% 42% 30 26% 20 10 14% 9% 0 Not at all/just a little Somewhat/A lot Don't know/haven't heard enough R6 2015 R5 2012 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The National Revenue Authority (NRA)?
Trust in local government council 2012-2015 Don't Know 1% 10% Most of them/all of them 59% 69% None/Some of them 30% 31% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 R5 2012 R6 2015 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Your local government council?
Trust in the ruling party 2012-2014 Don't know 2% 8% Somewhat/ A lot 42% 47% Not at all/just a little 51% 50% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2012 2015 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The ruling party?
60 Trust in opposition political parties 2015 50 43% 46% 48% 51% 40 30 20 9% 10 3% 0 Not at all/just a Little Somewhat. A lot Don't know/haven't heard enough 2015 2012 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Opposition political party?
Trust in the police 2012-2015 70% 65% 65% 60% 50% 40% 30% 34% 31% 20% 10% 0% 4% 1% Not at all/just a little Somewhat/A lot Don't know 2012 2015 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The police?
Trust in the Army 2012-2015 Don't know 1% 5% Somewhat/A lot 57% 64% Not at all/just a little 35% 38% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2012 2015 Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The army?
WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Perception of corruption
Key findings Increased corruption: Seven of ten Sierra Leoneans say the level of corruption has increased over the previous year. Compared to 2012, citizens perceive more corruption in the president s office and among MPs and government officials. The perception of corruption among the police decreased from 2012. Nonetheless, police are still perceived as the most corrupt of state institutions. Only one-third (32%) of ten Sierra Leoneans think that ordinary citizens can make a difference in the fight against corruption. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Level of corruption in Sierra Leone 2015 80% 70% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 5% 15% 0% Increased a lot/increased Somewhat Stayed the same Decreased somewhat/decreased a lot Don't know Respondents were asked: In your opinion, over the past year, has the level of corruption in this country increased, decreased, or stayed the same? 20
Corruption in the president s office 2012-2015 70 60 50 40 39% 58% 48% 40% 30 20 13% 10 2% 0 None/ Some of them Most of them/all of them Don t Know/Haven't heard enough 2015 2012 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: The office of the presidency?
Corruption among MPs 2012-2015 70 60 58% 50 40 37% 50% 41 30 20 10 0 13% 1% None/ Some of them Most or them/all of them Don't Know 2015 2012 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Members of Parliament?
60 50 Corruption among government officials 2012-2015 48% 55% 51% 40 33% 30 20 12% 10 0 None/Some of them Most of them/all of them Don't Know 2015 2012 1% Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Government officials?
Corruption among local government councilors 2012-2015 Don't Know 1% 12% Most of them/all of them 49% 52% None/Some of them 39% 47% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2012 2014 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Local government councillors? 24
Corruption in the police 2012-2015 Don't Know 1% 10 Most of them/all of them 59% 69% None/Some of them 30 31% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 2012 2015 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Police? 25
Corruption among judges and magistrates 2012-2015 60 50 46% 47% 50% 40 37% 30 20 16% 10 4% 0 None/Some of them Most/All of them Don't Know 2015 2012 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Judges and magistrates? 26
Corruption among religious leaders 2015 60% 54% 50% 40% 35% 30% 20% 10% 11% 0% None/Some of them Most of them/all of them Don't know Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Religious leaders? 27
Corruption among traditional leaders 2015 Don't know 11% Most of them/all of them 35% None/Some of them 54% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Traditional leaders? 28
Corruption among business executives 2015 Don't Know 15% Most/All of them 53% None/Some of them 32% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in corruption, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Business executives? 29
Can ordinary citizens make a difference in the fight against corruption? 2015 Agree/Strongly agree 32% Disagree/Strongly disagree 44% Neither agree nor disagree 7% Don't know 16% - 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Ordinary people can make a difference in the fight against corruption. 30
Most effective action that ordinary citizen can take 2015 Nothing / Ordinary people cannot do anything Refuse to pay bribes Don't know Report corruption when you see or experience it Vote for clean candidates Join or support org. fighting corruption speak about the problem Participate in protest marches Talk to friends/relative about the problem sign a petition other 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Respondents were asked: What is the most effective thing that an ordinary person like you can do the help combat corruption in this country? 31
Political leaders serve their own interests 2015 90% 80% 82% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 7% 4% 6% 0% Serve their own interests (agree/strongly agree) Serve the people's interest (agree/strongly agree) Neither Don t know Respondents were asked: Do you think that the leaders of political parties in this country are more concerned with serving the interests of the people, or more concerned with advancing their own political ambitions, or haven t you heard enough to say? 32
WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Performance of political leaders
Key findings About half (51%) of Sierra Leoneans approve of the president s performance over the past 12 months. About seven in ten citizens disapprove of the performance of their MPs and local government councilors. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
Performance of the president 2015 2015 don't know 5% Approvr/strongly approve 51% Strongly Disapprovr/Disapprove 44% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Respondents were asked: Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the following people have performed their jobs over the past 12 months, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: President Ernest Koroma? 35
Performance of MPs 2015 80 70 71% 60 50 40 30 23% 20 10 7% Strongly Disapprove/Disapprove Approve/Strongly Approve Don't Know Respondents were asked: Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the following people have performed their jobs over the past 12 months, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Your member of Parliament (MP)? 36
Performance of local government councilors 2015 Don't Know 6% Approve/Strongly Approve 25% Strongly Disapprove/Disapprove 68% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Respondents were asked: Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the following people have performed their jobs over the past 12 months, or haven t you heard enough about them to say: Your elected local government councilor? 37
WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG Conclusions
Public trust in several institutions has declined since 2012, including an 18-point drop in the proportion of citizens who trust the president. Perceptions of official corruption have increased, and few citizens think they can make a difference in fighting it. Only about half of Sierra Leoneans approve of the president s performance, and performance ratings for MPs and local government councilors are overwhelmingly negative. WWW.AFROBAROMETER.ORG
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