News / National
'Give Zacc money to avoid bribes'
04 Feb 2018 at 09:04hrs | Views
Parliamentarians are lobbying Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to revise the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc)'s $3,3 million budgetary allocation to ensure that employees are adequately remunerated and avoid being tempted into accepting bribes.
Zacc had made a bid of $17,4 million for 2018, excluding employment costs. A recent report by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice led by Fortune Chasi recommended that the budget be increased to enable Zacc to recruit more staff in order to be effective.
"The final Zacc allocation for 2018 was $3,3 million, including employment costs and this allocation is 0,07% of the total national budget and is far below the international best practices of allocating at least 5% of the national budget to anti-corruption agencies," the Justice Committee report reads.
"We recommend that Zacc should be allocated adequate funds so that it fills in all the 141 vacancies so that effective structures and systems are set up and operationalised as soon as possible."
Zacc is also expected to operationalise regional offices in Midlands, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Manicaland from the $3,3 million budget.
"Allocation for employment costs should be urgently reviewed upwards so that Zacc staff is paid in line with salaries and other conditions of service of other Anti-Corruption Commissions in the Sadc region," the committee said.
A well-paid Zacc would be able to attract, retain and effectively utilise specialist staff with good qualifications to investigate corruption cases that are complex in nature.
"This will reduce the temptation to accept bribes from corrupt criminals by the commission's officers and they will be motivated to discharge their duties," the report read.
Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu-PF) said it would be impossible for Zacc to cascade to other regions working with an inadequate staff complement.
"They told us that sometimes they end up seeking the services of junior police officers to assist them, some of whom are constables. How can they be expected to go and investigate a minister who has stolen well over $500 million when they earn too little money? The moment they are bribed they will ignore relevant evidence when working on a case," Mandipaka said.
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said MPs must understand that Zacc only investigated but did not arrest, which was done by the police.
"So for now, I consider that this vote is adequate for that reason and not for the reasons which are proffered by MPs," Chinamasa said.
Zacc had made a bid of $17,4 million for 2018, excluding employment costs. A recent report by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice led by Fortune Chasi recommended that the budget be increased to enable Zacc to recruit more staff in order to be effective.
"The final Zacc allocation for 2018 was $3,3 million, including employment costs and this allocation is 0,07% of the total national budget and is far below the international best practices of allocating at least 5% of the national budget to anti-corruption agencies," the Justice Committee report reads.
"We recommend that Zacc should be allocated adequate funds so that it fills in all the 141 vacancies so that effective structures and systems are set up and operationalised as soon as possible."
Zacc is also expected to operationalise regional offices in Midlands, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Manicaland from the $3,3 million budget.
A well-paid Zacc would be able to attract, retain and effectively utilise specialist staff with good qualifications to investigate corruption cases that are complex in nature.
"This will reduce the temptation to accept bribes from corrupt criminals by the commission's officers and they will be motivated to discharge their duties," the report read.
Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu-PF) said it would be impossible for Zacc to cascade to other regions working with an inadequate staff complement.
"They told us that sometimes they end up seeking the services of junior police officers to assist them, some of whom are constables. How can they be expected to go and investigate a minister who has stolen well over $500 million when they earn too little money? The moment they are bribed they will ignore relevant evidence when working on a case," Mandipaka said.
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said MPs must understand that Zacc only investigated but did not arrest, which was done by the police.
"So for now, I consider that this vote is adequate for that reason and not for the reasons which are proffered by MPs," Chinamasa said.
Source - the standard
