'Zimbabwe govt must protect citizens from corruption'

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) vice-president Valentine Chikosi has called on the government to urgently act against rampant corruption, warning that unchecked graft is inflicting severe hardship on workers and derailing economic recovery.

Speaking last week in Gweru during the ZCTU central region Workers' Day commemorations, Chikosi condemned what he described as the "institutionalisation and formalisation" of corruption, especially through dubious government tenders and impunity for politically connected individuals.

"We are worried as workers about the continued institutionalisation and formalisation of corruption through tenderpreneurship, through the impunity that people who are beneficiaries of ill-got business are openly flaunting and declaring proceeds of corruption," Chikosi said.

He urged the government to fulfil its duty of protecting citizens from corrupt practices, which he claimed are more prevalent within public institutions.

"Corruption is rampant in the public sector and even private sector, but it is our conviction that it is mainly happening within government institutions, government business, government transactions and government tenders," he added.

Chikosi said corruption was siphoning billions from the economy - money that should be going towards reviving essential services and improving workers' livelihoods. "The economy is supposed to be on a recovery path, but it cannot when billions of dollars meant to resuscitate it are channelled towards a few individuals involved in corrupt activities," he said.

Workers, he added, were bearing the brunt of the corruption crisis, which he linked directly to poor service delivery, wage erosion, and crumbling infrastructure.

"Our cry is that we could have been in a better state had government put a nip to corruption. This rot has a direct impact on our conditions of service, our welfare and general labour rights," Chikosi noted.

He expressed concern that top government officials implicated in illicit deals continue to operate with impunity, while the state fails to act decisively.

"If government was serious about tackling corruption, the money lost to graft could have been used to improve the health and education sectors, rehabilitate infrastructure like roads, the railway network and electricity supply," said Chikosi.

The ZCTU continues to advocate for labour justice and economic accountability as workers face mounting challenges amid rising inflation, low wages, and deteriorating public services.