African whistleblowers at risk

Whistleblowers are individuals who expose illegal, unethical or improper activities of an individual, government or organization. They often do so at the risk of being harmed or even killed by those threatened by the exposure of the whistleblower's information. Mostly, whistleblowers remain anonymous insiders who work with journalists to expose illegal or corrupt dealings. 

Across Africa, a worrying trend has emerged where whistleblowers, and the journalists working with them, are not afforded enough protection. More often than not, potential whistleblowers have to consider their future, their loved ones and their safety.

Lack of protections for Africa's whistleblowers 

Few African countries have legal protections in place for whistleblowers. While all African countries except Eritrea are part of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, 10 nations — the Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Morocco, Mauritania, Somalia, South Sudan, Eswatini — have not ratified it.  

The only nations with specific whistleblower protection laws are Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Ethiopia and Botswana. But even in countries where there are protections in place for whistleblowers, murders and intimidation still take place.

In 2021, South Africans were shocked by the murder of Babita Deokaran, a key witness in an investigation into the overpriced procurement of COVID-19 protective clothing in a scandal involving about €20 million ($22 million).

Journalists working with whistleblowers also targeted 

One person very familiar with the dangers of working with whistleblowers is Ghanaian investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who is known for his work on reporting corruption cases in the West African nation. He has worked with whistleblowers, and said he has "had the opportunity to blow the whistle on very serious corruption or human rights issues that have caught the attention of the nation," he told DW.

In recent years, Awuni has had to move around under armed police escort provided by the government. In 2020, he had to flee Ghana for South Africa  after receiving death threats.

"All of this resulted in serious mental health challenges," Awuni told DW.

Awuni's experience demonstrates that the line between whistleblower and journalist can get blurred in some cases — often because the journalist protects the identity of their source. He refers to the murder of undercover journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale, who was shot dead outside his house in 2019. Hussein-Suale reported on corruption in Ghanaian football, and Ghanaian lawmaker Kennedy Agyapong, who disliked the coverage, revealed his address and face and offered money to those who would harm him.

It became the first known case in Ghana of a journalist murdered for his work. Five years on, the murder still has not been solved.

"That tells you how dangerous it is to operate in an environment where you can be threatened. You can be killed. And nobody suffers or loses sleep over the killing," said Awuni.

What are countries doing to protect whistleblowers?

Awuni adds that "the motive of the whistleblower is inconsequential if the issues they're reporting are of serious national interest." 

Experts like Elijah Kandie Rottok, a senior human rights officer with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, said "it is in our own interest as Africans, as governments, as organizations to encourage whistleblowers to avert any harm or prevent damage, or to improve the public service and to strengthen our organizational or public accountability."

Rottok added that a "human rights-based approach" is needed, and lawmakers in every country need to review "laws and policies that might hinder whistleblowing practices," such as how confidentiality procedures are done, or laws that promote secrecy as opposed to balancing it against public interest.

On the ground, things are tough for rapid response officer Mathias Shipeta from the Kenya-based Haki Africa human rights organization.

"As we speak in Kenya in the last 10 years, we've had over 300 people disappeared or extrajudicially killed," he told DW.

In Kenya's recent anti-government protests,  Shipeta estimates "over 60 people have actually disappeared in the country."

Why do whistleblowers do what they do?

For Awuni, shining the light on illegal activities by those in positions of power is a personal mission.

"I find it as my own way of contributing to the building of Ghana's democracy and also the development of my country, and there are occasions that I find it very outrageous, some of the things that happen to helpless people," he told DW.

"I don't believe that we have enough outrage," Awuni added. "When you get into trouble, you are mostly on your own."

Edited by: Benita van Eyssen

Correction, September 5, 2024: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Mathias Shipeta from the Kenya-based Haki Africa. DW apologizes for the error.