Mugabe investigating ZACC

President Robert Mugabe has reportedly instituted an investigation of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) amid claims that it is now a battleground for Zanu-PF factions jostling to succeed the 92-year-old leader.

According to sources, the investigation would see Zacc commissioners re-submitting their CVs to Mugabe's office for fresh vetting.

The probe follows complaints that some Zacc commissioners were being used by senior ruling party politicians to settle personal scores against rivals.

Zacc deputy chairperson and the commissioner responsible for the media, Nanette Silukhuni confirmed the investigation saying Mugabe's office was "carrying out a due-diligence exercise on them".

"The Office of the President is carrying out a due diligence exercise on the commission and its people," she said.

"It is within their mandate to do so, as you may be aware we work under the Office of the President and that is what they are doing."

Silukhuni described the exercise as normal.

"This is a normal exercise," she said while refusing to elaborate.

But sources said recent developments within government and Zanu-PF had forced Mugabe to order an investigation on the commissioners.

"The call for them to re-submit their CVs is to look at their capacities, their track record against their conduct," a source said.

Among those who have complained to Mugabe about some Zacc commissioners is Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo, who on September 29 reportedly wrote to the President complaining about the commission, particularly commissioner Goodson Nguni.

"The President has been monitoring activities at Zacc and realised that some of its people were being used to settle political fights," he said.

"He has observed that some have failed to discharge their duties in a proper manner as expected, as they are talking about their political associations and factional interests within Zanu-PF, something which has affected the credibility of the commission."

The commission is under the spotlight after Moyo accused Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa of using it to fight his factional battles in Zanu-PF.

Moyo is being investigated for allegedly abusing over $400 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.

The Constitutional Court stopped the minister's prosecution after he has challenged the way the commission carried out its investigations.

"It's not Moyo alone, who has complained against Zacc, there are some fundamental issues that are not being followed by the commission," the source said.

"There are complaints to do with the involvement of commissioners in investigations, wantonly re-assigning of duties to some investigators — disregard for technical advice when given by the secretariat.

"All these have reached the Office of the President and Cabinet and the President said the credibility of the institutions should not be put into question by a few people."

The source said there were some commissioners that had made their factional leanings known.

A Zanu-PF ad-hoc committee chaired by National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda recently concluded that Zacc had become compromised.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba or chief secretary in the Office of the President, Misheck Sibanda were unsuccessful, as their mobile phones were unreachable.

Other Zacc commissioners are, Christine Fundira, Denford Chirindo, Cathy Muchechetere, Thandaza Masiye Moyo, Farai Mashonganyika and Boyana Ndou.