NRZ sets up integrity committee to fight graft

Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe is working on setting up an Integrity Committee (IC) to fight corruption with the help of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).

ZCC held an Integrity Committee workshop with NRZ management in Bulawayo where the commission, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) made presentations on the importance of setting up and running ICs in organisations last week.

Working in conjunction with Zacc, an IC is tasked with taking measures to prevent corruption within the organisation’s sphere of control.

The concept adopts a proactive rather than a reactive approach in dealing with corruption. This is achieved by mainstreaming corruption prevention into the routine business of the organisation.

This is part of Zacc’s mandate which is fighting against corruption in both public and private institutions.
Zimbabwe is implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) that was launched by President Mnangagwa on July 11 in 2020.

As part of the implementation of the NACS, Zacc is establishing Integrity Committees at parastatals, State-owned enterprises, Government departments and ministries.

Some of the institutions that have already submitted their names to Zacc intending to establish ICs include Printflow, Zinwa, Zupco, Zinara, Health Services Board, CMED, TelOne, ZBC, Zimdef, CAAZ, Zimpost and Natpharm.

In her opening remarks, Mrs Clara Nyakotyo Zacc General Manager (Prevention & Corporate Governance Department) said ICs are important in achieving the National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030.

She said although implementation of ICs in Zimbabwe is still in its infancy, in Zambia the committees have proved to be effective in arresting corruption at different institutions.

“Experience of our regional anti-corruption partners such as Zambia is a soothing narrative. In Zambia, the benefits to institutions that have been realised from Integrity Committees include among others, organisational self-cleansing, facilitation of ethical decision-making by reducing ethical dilemmas through the use of best practice documents such as codes of ethics, code of conduct, conflict of interest policy; reduced incidences of corruption and other related crimes; increased enforcement of best practices, improved institutional images and improved service delivery to clients by public institutions,” said Mrs Nyakotyo.

She said whistle-blowers were important to the function of ICs and the Whistle-blower Bill that is being crafted will protect them.

“I am aware that the playing of a whistle-blower role by the integrity committees as one of its important roles, faces the spectre of victimisation which has been affecting the flow of information on corruption to Zacc.

“Similar fears have also resulted in witnesses in court cases sometimes turning hostile,” she said.
Mrs Nyakotyo said such threats to combating corruption will soon be a thing of the past as Zacc’s proposals to the enactment of

Whistle Blower and Witnesses Protection law have been adopted by Cabinet and drafting of the Bill is underway. The law will have provision for stiff penalties for the victimisation of whistle-blowers and witnesses in criminal offences.

She commended NRZ for capacitating its employees to establish an IC and encouraged other institutions to do the same.
Mrs Nyakotyo noted that the training workshop had been prompted and organised by NRZ to capacitate management on the roles and responsibilities of integrity committees in combating corruption.

NRZ General Manager Mrs Respina Zinyanduko said the workshop will help the company fight corruption.
“NRZ is one of the companies that will contribute to the attainment of Vision 2030 and economic recovery. If we do our work transparently and combat corruption, it means whatever service we give to our clients will be the actual value,” said Mrs Zinyanduko.

She said eradicating corruption within organisations such as NRZ helps to capacitate them.
“If there are no leakages due to corruption that means we shall be able to attend to some of our capitalisation and challenges that we are facing as a company. Thereafter we can channel whatever money that we would have saved to our operations,” said Mrs Zinyanduko.

She said NRZ will soon set up an IC.
During presentations, Zacc spelt out through compliance officer Ms Sifikile Moyo, how an IC is set up and why it is important and its role.

“IC members shall be appointed by the Head of an Institution. The Chairperson shall be appointed from among the members of the IC. The IC should comprise of suitably qualified and skilled members. All members of the Committee must possess the requisite qualifications and experience as defined in their respective job descriptions,” she said. Zimra set up an IC in 2019 to implement its Integrity Action Plan.

According to Zimra, there has been a decrease in corrupt activities ever since the institution set up the IC.
Zimra said the organisation managed to put in place anti-corruption policies such as Lifestyle Audits, Anti-fraud, Recruitment and Selection and Disciplinary Handling.

Transparency International Zimbabwe Programmes Manager Mr Nqobani Tshabangu also gave a presentation on the Global Approaches on Public Sector Integrity Tools.

He said there was a need for an Integrity Action Plan that takes into consideration issues to do with transparency, accountability and countering corruption.