Zanu-PF's new list of corrupt officials out

THE Zanu-PF Youth League will in the next few days release a long list of alleged corrupt Government and party officials to give the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zaac) leads to follow and arrest, as it steps up efforts to help weed out corruption that has affected the economy.

Addressing a Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators' Association (Zilwaco) National Conference in Gweru yesterday, association chairman who is also Zanu-PF National Secretary for Youth, Pupurai Togarepi said youths have decided to take a leading role in fighting corruption.

"We know the people who are involved in corruption. I have my young man Lewis Matutu, we sat down with him and said we are willing to fight corruption and said we are going to name and shame corrupt Government and party officials.

We have a long list and you should all make a self-introspection. Most of the people in the party are on the list and in the next few coming days we will name and shame you. That's how the country can move forward because our President cannot suffer because of corrupt people.

The President has been on a re-engagement programme visiting different nations to try and better the lives of the people of Zimbabwe but there are individuals who derail all those efforts and enrich themselves," he said.

Togarepi said President Mnangagwa should not be lenient with corrupt officials.

"We are solidly behind President Mnangagwa beyond any shadow of doubt.

The issue of corruption which is there, we think it has also contributed in hindering the compensation for the war collaborators. All the money is going into the pockets of individuals who are greedy.

Government is being overburdened by the people who are inside who are amassing wealth and enriching their families.

We are too tolerant and lenient, that is why these corrupt individuals continue to steal from Government.

The challenge is once they are in the party and/ or Government they then look for their friends and start stealing from Government much to the detriment of the people.

These people lack ideology and they are not patriotic. We fought for this country and we are not apologetic about it," he said.

In an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Zanu-PF Youth League Deputy Secretary, Matutu commended Zaac for descending on corrupt senior Government and party officials who were amassing wealth and enriching themselves at the expense of the entirety of the Zimbabwean populace.

This follows, the arrest of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira on Thursday

last week over a scandal involving more than US$95 million linked to the National Social Security Authority.

"This (investigation and arrest of corrupt Government and party officials) is something that was long overdue.

What we are saying is that each and every person involved in corruption must be arrested. We are also saying people must be accountable as leaders and we are not backing off on that fight.

Our people are poor, not because the Government is not making efforts to transform their lives for the better, but our people are poor because a few individuals are stealing those few resources that are there and making them their own and their families," he said.