You're going to inherit debts accrued by leaders – Malema tasks youth to fight corruption

Corruption is a serious threat to Ghana’s democracy, South Africa's Julius Malema has observed.

Speaking at a public dialogue organised in Accra by Ghanaian socialist pressure group AriseGhana on Tuesday, 23 January 2024, the President and Commander-In-Chief of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said: “The democracy of Ghana is threatened by corruption - a corruption that made sure that Ghana does not pay its international debt. As a result, Ghana is unable to self-determine because everything else is dictated to Ghana by IMF and the World Bank because the current leadership failed to honour their obligation.”

“Corruption is a threat to a wonderful democracy anywhere because it’s eating on the moral fibre of a democratic dispensation.

"We must never celebrate anyone who is corrupt or seek to defend the corrupt individuals irrespective of our political affiliation,” he stressed.

He said the youth would bear the brunt of their forebears' corruption.

“It is you, the youth of Africa, that are going to inherit the debt, and you’ll not be able to develop your own country,” the founder and leader of the EFF said.

He, therefore, urged the youth: “If you value yourself, if you value the future of this continent, you must stand tall and unashamedly fight corruption everywhere it rises its ugly head."

"Don’t care who says what. You must always speak truth to power. It doesn’t matter who gets offended,” he said.

“The truth remains the truth whether you’re standing, sitting, or sleeping. The truth will never change,” he added.

Mr Malema said the youth must keep pushing even if they do not get instant results because "when they [leaders] are sleeping alone, their conscience speak to them and they must answer the question: is he or she telling the truth and if the answer is 'yes', you have achieved your mission.”

The South African firebrand also urged African leaders not to overstay their welcome in office through foul means.

“We call on all African leaders not to leave an office with a coffin", explaining: "When the time comes for them to go, they must leave without calling the army to extend their tenure".

According to him, "No one is born a leader, no one is a traditional leader in a political office", adding: "If you want to be a traditional leader, go and fight in your tribe for those type of issues, we don’t subscribe to people who want to leave a political office with a coffin".

“We will still give you a state funeral because you are a former President, we will still pay you pensions and give you protection and take care of you as long as you respect those who came after you", he added.