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Joseph Madzimure and Charmaine Brown
NEWLY-appointed Zanu-PF Secretary for the Commissariat Cde Victor Matemadanda says top Government officials and party bigwigs implicated in corrupt activities should clear their names first before assuming public office.
The firebrand Cde Matemadanda, who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs, said there was need for image building among public office bearers to gain public trust.
He said it was critical that leaders shun all forms of corruption.
“Those implicated in corrupt activities be it a Politburo member or minister should clear their names before the courts before taking public office,” said Cde Matemadanda.
“For those in influential positions, they should resign and clear their names, they should not wait for President Mnangagwa to nail them in public.
“They should not wait for the President to force them to resign, they should do the honourable thing. Let them clear their names to retain confidence to the people.”
Cde Matemadanda added that everyone has an obligation to fight corruption wherever it rears its ugly head, be it in Parliament, party level or Government.
“We want things to be fair. There is need to increase the push for the fight against corruption. Corruption should never be tolerated. If a leader is said to be corrupt he or she should be given time to clear him or herself.
“There are means to find out if it is true or not that someone is a corrupt person. You should have moral obligation that what I am doing is wrong and you will be given time to clear yourself so that you retain confidence of the people.
“When we are defending a person, it must be systematic, it must not be like hypothesis, let it be proved factually that this person is not corrupt and that leader will be accepted when people gain confidence in you,” he said.
Cde Matemadanda said a ruthless fight against was crucial as the new dispensation under President Mnangagwa seeks to rebuild the country’s image and attract both local and foreign investment.
He added that the President has previously indicated that Government will not consider “friendship or kinship” in its fight against corruption, as no one was above the law.
Online Reporter