'Mugabe must declare assets first'

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe must lead by example and publicly declare his assets before making it mandatory for all public officials, chairperson of the African Parliamentary Network against Corruption Willias Madzimure said yesterday.

Madzimure was responding to Mugabe's directive in his speech at the official opening of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament last week where he said all high-level public office holders should disclose their assets upon assumption of office.

Madzimure questioned the seriousness of Mugabe's statement, saying Mugabe should show his sincerity by declaring his assets first like what his counterpart Namibian President Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingob did last year when they publicly declared theirs.

"This is just talk for publicity's sake. Mugabe has been talking of corruption over and over again, and issues of a code of conduct are not new," said Madzimure.