Public officials should fight corruption

Corruption can be defined as the misuse of public power for private benefit, involving underhand deals such as misappropriate of public funds.

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has vowed to take a stringent measures against corruption in all its operations. Government Departments should also take a leaf from ZIMRA which has since showed up its commitment to fight internal corruption as a way of plugging off revenue leakages that prejudiced government of the much needed revenue. This explains why the national tax collector surpassed its April target. Gross collections for the month of April amounting to $361.88 million were collected against a target of $331.47 million.

ZIMRA Commissioner-General Ms Faith Mazani noted that ZIMRA was indeed making great strides to fight graft. Quoted in a local daily press, the ZIMRA boss said, "ZIMRA has a strategy to fight and expose corruption. It is an issue we always talk about. There is so much that we are doing to ensure that our systems are secure and plug the leakages."

Corruption by public officials is detrimental to fulfilling Governments' objectives such that it eats into all developmental projects that will be taking place. In simpler terms, corruption lowers investment, capital productivity, capital inflows and many other macro-economic activities that relevant to public welfare. It affects development by reducing the efficiency of public investments and in the long-term corruption destroys the existing infrastructure which is also very important for economic development.

If foreign direct investment flows in a country where corruption is systemic, economic growth becomes impossible.

Also, corruption do not only affects the budget investments but also reduces the budget revenue which is very crucial for economic growth. While addressing a National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair's Hall 4 in Bulawayo early this year, President Mnangagwa denounced corruption saying the new dispensation was against it. The President was quoted saying, "No more cutting corners, no more breaking of rules, no more using people's money for personal enrichment. My Government is committed to zero tolerance towards corruption. Both public and private sector officials, at all levels, who engage in corrupt practices will be caught and punished without fear or favour." If public officials fail to heed President Mnangagwa's call to zero tolerance to corruption, all efforts of re-engagement and foreign direct investment (FDI) will be reduced to nothing.

Investors prefer to invest in a country that is free of corruption. It is believed that good tenets such as political stability and low level of corruption contribute not only to attract FDI inflow but also have a positive influence on economic development through the stimulation of investment in general, as it faces less uncertainty and higher expected rates of return.

High levels of corruption add to the risk of a country being marginalized in the international economy.

It must be noted that most MDC-T led local authorities have been fingered in corrupt activities, a situation which is affecting service delivery in most towns and cities.

In Harare, it is sad to note that the councillors consider enriching themselves at the expense of offering proper service delivery to the public.

Most city council employees are being paid hefty salaries and meagre allocation is being left for service provision.

Conclusively, public officials should commit themselves against any underhand deals which are detrimental to economic development.