The Sunday News
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, is on record as saying her organisation will do its job without fear or favour, and big fish or high profile politicians would be brought to book if they are found to be corrupt.
“The mandate of the Commission is to combat corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of duty and other improprieties in the conduct of affairs in both the public and private sectors. This mandate is achieved through three key pillars, which are: Investigations, prevention, as well as public education and publicity.
“I’m also mandated to make recommendations to the Government and to organisations in the private sector on measures to enhance integrity and accountability and how to prevent improprieties, to investigate and expose cases of corruption in the public and private sectors; to promote honesty, financial discipline, and transparency in the public and private sectors. My office is also mandated to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate . . . My Commission will not be used to pursue political agendas. I assure the members of the public that the Commission will discharge its functions without fear or favour,” Justice Matanda-Moyo was quoted as saying by a local weekly paper.
And true to her word, last week, the Commission took to court Environment, Tourism and Hospital Industry Minister, Prisca Mupfumira, on corruption allegations involving $95 million.
The minister became the first senior Government official to be arrested by the Commission which was overhauled by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on July 15. She was also recently named by the Zanu-PF Youth League in a list of political and businesspersons who were allegedly sabotaging the economy through acts of corruption.
Recently, President Mnangagwa appointed a 12-member commission chaired by Justice Matanda-Moyo, which he gave powers to arrest.
The President has shown confidence in the new Zacc through publicly warning the masses that the newly-found teeth would soon bite all the corrupt.
Justice Matanda-Moyo last week said Zacc was investigating over 200 cases of corruption-related crimes emanating from a varied spectrum of the economy adding that arrests would be effected. She added that her Commission was on a mission to aggressively fight corruption and was different from previous bodies given that it was now headed by a judicial officer.
In her maiden media address, Justice Matanda-Moyo said Zacc had received the latest Auditor-General’s (AG) report and investigations had already commenced in respect of all ministries, parastatals and State entities implicated in corruption and misappropriation of funds.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said the AG’s report creates the basis for investigations into corruption, theft, misappropriation of funds, abuse of power and or any other improper conduct committed in the public sector.
She said a number of high profile cases were already being investigated.
The arrest and subsequent appearance in court of Minister Mupfumira is testimony that the Government is sincere about fighting corruption, and the new Zacc team is also up to the task.
