Councils top ZACC corruption list

Councillors and local government officials were the largest contributors to corruption cases reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) last year, accounting for 13 percent of the total reports, ZACC chairperson Mr. Michael Reza has revealed.

Corruption has become rampant within local councils, particularly in urban areas, severely impacting service delivery.

In response, on May 10, President Mnangagwa appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate governance issues at Harare City Council. Led by retired High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda, the commission has already uncovered extensive corruption and incompetence within the council. The commission has until December to complete its investigation, which includes reviewing financial management practices and compliance with relevant laws.

To tackle the ongoing issues in councils, President Mnangagwa also launched a blueprint titled "A Call to Action: No Compromise to Service Delivery." This framework outlines key measures that local authorities must implement to enhance service efficiency, aligning with the national goal of achieving an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Speaking at the signing of integrity pledges by senior officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mr. Reza underscored the extent of corruption among public officials.

"In 2023, ZACC received 999 reports of corruption. It is disheartening to note that public officials were implicated in 56 percent of these cases, with 109 reports directly involving local authority officials and 22 involving officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, making up 13.11 percent of all cases," he said.

This widespread corruption has led to a significant decline in service delivery, with cities and towns grappling with water shortages, uncollected waste, deteriorating roads, and poor urban planning.

However, Mr. Reza noted that some local authorities have begun efforts to address the problem. ZACC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, has carried out joint investigations in both urban and rural councils.

"Through these efforts, integrity committees have been established in 84 local authorities, and many employees have signed integrity pledges," he said.

The integrity committees, created to improve transparency and accountability, are part of a broader strategy to combat corruption. These committees are tasked with implementing e-governance systems for better management of land, procurement, and revenue collection.

Mr. Reza emphasized that ZACC will continue to use its constitutional powers to investigate and address any allegations of corruption within local authorities, working closely with government offices to root out unethical practices.

Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, who led the integrity pledge signing ceremony, described the initiative as a major step towards achieving Vision 2030, which aims to promote integrity and eradicate corruption.

"The signing of the integrity pledge and the establishment of the Ministerial Integrity Committee marks a crucial moment in our fight against corruption. This committee will ensure that systems are improved to prevent any malpractice and will provide political and professional support for these efforts," Minister Garwe said.

He urged all ministry officials to embrace the integrity committees with dedication, adding that the pledge will be extended to provincial and district offices.

"Corruption is a cancer that undermines all developmental efforts and worsens service delivery. As we move towards Vision 2030, integrity must be the guiding principle in all our actions," Garwe concluded.