Parliament demands answers from Ziyambi on Zimbabwe’s corruption record

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Parliament has called upon the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, to issue a statement in the National Assembly regarding the country’s efforts to combat corruption.

This follows a recent report that identified Zimbabwe as the most corrupt nation in the Southern African region.

Corruption continues to plague the country unabated, with Transparency International, the global anti-corruption watchdog, ranking Zimbabwe among the worst-performing nations in the world.

This ranking is a damning indictment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, particularly given his 2017 pledge to eradicate corruption when he assumed the presidency.

During a parliamentary session, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament (MP) Gladys Hlatywayo challenged the government to address the country’s poor standing in the fight against corruption.

“Given how disastrous the effects of corruption are, including the crowding out of social services to the citizenry, this House cannot be silent on this matter Mr. Speaker Sir.

“In an era characterised by the rolling back of international aid and development, the prudential use of national resources cannot be overemphasised. After all, Parliament has the responsibility of oversight and to ensure the efficient use of national resources.

“I, therefore appeal to you Mr. Speaker, for the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to favour this very House with a Ministerial Statement on how the Executive is tackling the question of corruption, including how far the Executive has gone in terms of the whistleblowers’ protection legislation and the witness protection legislation,” said Hlatywayo.

The entrenchment of corruption has been attributed to inefficiencies within key institutions, such as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). ZACC has faced criticism for its perceived leniency towards individuals associated with the ruling party, ZANU PF. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production.
Additionally, the absence of robust legislation to protect whistleblowers has been identified as a significant obstacle in the fight against corruption.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda emphasised the urgency of tabling the Whistleblowers’ Act in the National Assembly.

“I am not sure about the agreement. What I can only advise in support of part of what you have said is the Whistleblowers’ Bill that must come as soon as possible to this House. As for the indexes, I have my reservation,” said Mudenda.

Measures to curb corruption are among the key areas Zimbabwe must address as part of the Structured Dialogue Platform between the country and the African Development Bank (AfDB).