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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Government will not be distracted in its fight against corruption and is taking necessary steps to strengthen processes that ensure all culprits are brought to book regardless of the magnitude of the crime, a Cabinet minister has said. Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF party supporters in Makonde recently, Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said the party, which directs Government had included corruption as a top priority in its manifesto.
This comes as President Mnangagwa has established a Special Anti-Corruption Unit housed in the Office of the President and Cabinet to improve efficiency in the fight against all forms of graft and to strengthen the effectiveness of national mechanisms for the prevention of corruption.
“We have our manifesto, which exhorts us to be united and fight corruption,” said Cde Ziyambi.
“That is an issue we are seized with even though there are some people who are not comfortable with that subject, but we are dealing with the issues thoroughly. We need to fight corruption.”
Cde Ziyambi said there is no act of corruption that is regarded as petty or too big before warning the gathered crowd that even theft of maize earmarked for distribution to the grassroots will be punished.
“If you still think that you have an opportunity to steal maize, you should know that we are starting from the cell level (party structure) to those in the high office,” he said.
“I told the President that there should now be a unit that will be resident in his office to deal with corruption. You will hear people questioning the President’s move, but we are not stopping on corruption.
“So, starting from the grassroots, if you steal maize you go to jail.
“If you steal Government money, you also go to jail. So, corruption has to be dealt with decisively because it affects the country.”
President Mnangagwa has identified corruption as one of the major stumbling blocks in Zimbabwe’s quest for economic and social development.
As a key step in that fight, President Mnangagwa is expected to announce members of the Special Anti-Corruption Unit soon.
The unit will collaborate with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and other such institutions in the fight against corruption.
Government is also working on establishing Special Anti-Corruption Courts. This also comes as the ZRP has already established an anti-corruption unit dedicated to investigating corruption complaints.
Online Reporter