Seven whistleblowers from Africa were honored with the 2024 Blueprint for Free Speech Whistleblower Prize. This year’s winners include Ravo Ramasomanana, Mbusco Ngcobo, Vivian Muoneke, Edbuna Olakunle Obidike, Dorothy Mmushi, Sarika Lakraj-Naidoo, and Sarah Kityo. These seven individuals blew the whistle on fraud, municipal and corporate corruption, and public health crises at great personal risk.
Ngcobo, Mmushi, and Lakraj-Naidoo exposed municipal corruption and corporate fraud in South Africa, each suffering severe retaliation in response to their whistleblowing. Ngcobo faced years of death threats, stalking, and intimidation for blowing the whistle on municipal corruption in Durban, implicating the ANC Mayor and other senior officials in what would become South Africa’s largest and highest profile corruption case. Lakraj-Naidoo spent a decade reporting municipal corruption in the City of Johannesburg before her disclosures were ever investigated. In response, she suffered a smear campaign and received fraudulent charges of harassment, misconduct, bullying, and intimidation from individuals she spoke out against. Mmushi had a bounty placed on her head and was arrested on falsified charges after exposing rampant fraud and corruption occurring within South Africa’s largest power utility, Eskom.
From Madagascar, whistleblower Ravo Ramasomanana was honored for bringing public attention to rampant corruption and contracting fraud in the country’s public health service. Ramasomanana faced severe retaliation from government authorities, suffering death threats and intimidation.
When 300 young patients in The Gambia fell ill with fatal poisoning, Professor Egbuna Obidike and Professor Vivian Muoneke prevented a deadly, global health crisis by exposing how toxic cough syrup was causing life threatening kidney failure in young patients.
Lastly, whistleblower Sarah Kityo was honored for her anti-corruption efforts in the Uganda Netball Federation. After becoming President of the Federation, Kiyto instituted reforms to protect whistleblowers, institute internal reporting, improve financial control, and more. She soon came head-to-head with the National Council of Sports and its General Secretary Patrick Ogwel for refusing to pay kickbacks. Kityo became embroiled in a public scandal and faced death threats, false arrests, and falsified charges of fraud and embezzlement. Her investigations continue.
These seven whistleblowers uprooted insidious corruption and saved countless lives. Their bravery was met with threats, false arrests, and smear campaigns. Speaking to the retaliation she faced, Kityo shared a sentiment many whistleblowers can relate to, saying whistleblowers are “dealt a horrible blow. I thought that the laws of this country would protect me. Instead, I have had every door shut in my face. Nobody cares, nobody helps us.” The Blueprint for Free Speech Whistleblower Prize highlights these seven whistleblowers’ great sacrifice and honors their contributions to society.