The Sunday News
President Mnangagwa is on record calling for a fierce fight against corruption at all levels for economic turnaround to be achieved.
“Corruption is deep rooted. I thought by making a pronouncement that ‘let us fight corruption’ it will go away. No. It’s not like that. To fight corruption, you need the police to investigate but there are elements of corruption in the police.
“Once you get past the corruption in the police, the National Prosecution Authority has to prosecute, but there are also elements of corruption in the NPA.
“Then the case must go to court and there are also elements that are corrupt in the judiciary. So the fight is so wide and deep,” he was quoted as saying.
It is not only State institutions that have rotten apples, but the bad practice of underhand deals has been prevalent in the private sector, with local authorities also hitting headlines countless times.
Fighting corruption, President Mnangagwa has repeatedly said, is a collective responsibility, and therefore, we urge Zimbabweans across board to support and complement the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption (Zacc) so that it fulfils its mandate.
The success of Zacc would mean a better country for everyone and a bright future for the new generation.
The President last week swore in seven commissioners from the eight appointed members of Zacc as Government intensifies its anti-graft drive.
The swearing in of the commissioners at State House followed public interviews that were conducted by Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda last month.
Following the interviews of about 38 candidates, Parliament submitted the constitutionally prescribed 12 people from which the President was obliged to appoint eight to sit as members of Zacc. The seven commissioners that were appointed are Gabriel Chaibva, Jessie Fungai Majome, John Makamure, Thandiwe Thando Mlobane, Kuziva Phineas Murapa, Frank Muchengwa and Retired Major Michael Dennis Santu. Another commissioner, Mabel Ndakaripa Hungwe was not sworn in as she could not attend the function.
The Commission has revealed that it is investigating more than 200 cases of corruption related crimes emanating from a varied spectrum of the economy and arrests will be effected soon. Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said her Commission was out on a mission to aggressively fight corruption and was different from other previous bodies given that it was now headed by a judicial officer.
“I do not have a person whom we can say he or she is an actual accused person. After we are through with our investigations that is when I will say this one I am taking to court and that one I am not taking to court. So for now we are still doing the investigation(s). We have got the Auditor General’s report, NSSA audit report, Hwange issues, we have got Command Agriculture, we have got so many cases that we are handling at the moment. We have over 200 cases we are handling,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
The World Economic Forum says corruption is considered a strong constraint on growth and development. Šumah, in the article “Corruption, Causes and Consequences”, says corruption thus inhibits economic growth and affects business operations, employment and investments. It also reduces tax revenue and the effectiveness of various financial assistance programmes.
The wider society is influenced by a high degree of corruption in terms of lowering of trust in the law and the rule of law, education and consequently the quality of life (access to infrastructure, health care). That is why the fight against corruption is everyone’s fight.
