Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) says the setting up of integrity committees has proved to be an effective way of curbing corruption within local authorities while 74 percent of its reported cases had been convicted and illegal properties seized.
Last year, Zacc called upon Government ministries, departments, State-owned enterprises, and local authorities to establish integrity committees within their set-ups to fight corruption and ensure good governance. Zimbabwe is setting up integrity committees at public institutions as an effective tool to prevent corruption and promote good corporate governance at an institutional level.
Integrity committees are set up to spearhead the prevention of corruption and promotion of integrity within the institutions’ spheres of control. They are focused on spearheading in-house anti-corruption efforts and enhancing good governance by institutionalising the fight against corruption. Integrity committees go a long way in preventing corruption through the creation of strong institutions that have systems, policies and controls to prevent and fight corruption.
Speaking during a recent three-day integrity committees’ training workshop for local authorities in Matabeleland South, Zacc Commissioner Fungayi Jessie Majome said setting integrity committees has helped tackle corruption in councils.
“We already have several integrity teams working in the country. Of great interest this year is that Zacc has opened several offices in other cities unlike in the past when they were only in Bulawayo and Harare,” she said.
“We are also happy to say almost 74 percent of our cases, which were reported had been convicted and a number of illegal properties have been seized.”
Zacc general manager for the prevention of corruption, Mrs Clara Nyakotyo said establishing the integrity committees within local authorities is critical as it strengthens their corrupt-free system.
“Coming up with an integrity committee is important because it makes it easy to combat corruption within heads of institutions.
As Zacc, we cannot be everywhere, and as such that is why these integrity committees are important,” she said.
“We are not only targeting local authorities, but parastatal, public service, and private institutions are also included. We already have a few institutions like Zinara and the municipality of Mutare which already have existing integrity committees.”
Beitbridge Rural District Council chief executive officer Mr Peter Moyo said the training comes in handy in terms of combating corruption internally before they engage other parties. The workshop was held in Bulawayo and attended by rural district councils’ chief executive officers and town clerks who also signed integrity pledges.
“I am excited because this will help to grow my district and help us to combat any corruption cases which we might be having.
“I am going to encourage everyone from my district who signed this pledge today to hang it in their offices so that whenever they think of being involved in corruption they will think twice,” said Mr Moyo.
Matobo RDC chief executive officer Mr Elvis Sibanda said the workshop was long overdue.
“The fact that we came in numbers to this workshop is testimony that as rural district councils, we are taking this initiative seriously,” he said.
In May, urban local authorities from the Matabeleland region undertook to set up integrity committees in their institutions and implement the Auditor-General’s recommendations within a period of two months. — @flora_sibanda
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