Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri , Business Reporter
FOLLOWING years of mismanagement and abuse of office at Rural District Councils (RDCs), the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has set up special watchdogs within councils in order to plug loopholes.
The commission has to date made more than 60 arrests at different councils around the country.
Last week, six Bikita RDC officials were arrested for corruption involving more than US$190 000.
In October last year, a Nkayi RDC councillor was arrested for corruptly selling stands and taking bribes.
Councils such as Umzingwane and Umguza have been embroiled in alleged corruption scandals that have dragged on for years and have seen many officials arrested and fired, while Umzingwane RDC CEO Jabulani Mpofu is suspended over alleged corruption.
To plug the holes in RDCs, Zacc has since resolved to establish integrity policies and committees to strengthen transparency and eliminate corruption in all aspects of governance at RDCs.
In an interview on the sidelines of an engagement meeting in Bulawayo on Thursday, Zacc spokesperson and chairperson of the audit committee, Commissioner Thandiwe Mlobane said the commission was empowering RDCs to prevent corruption in procurement, land use, as well as natural resource governance among other issues.
“The aim of the workshop was to give them (RDCs) tools to be able to put in place measures to prevent, combat and eradicate corruption and all forms of abuse of by those that hold political and public office in the institutions.
“What we want to do is to institutionalise the prevention of corruption by enhancing personal integrity and promoting accountability for all institutions. We believe that where there is good governance and strong institutions there is limited opportunity for corruption,” said Comm Mlobane.
She said they were putting across to RDCs the need to formulate integrity policies, strategies and committees as tools to prevent corruption.
Comm Mlobane said a number of public officials have been arrested in particular council officers as well as some Councillors due to procurement, fraud, recruitment and sale of stands among others.
She added: “We are encouraging public institutions to establish their own anti-corruption institutions which however, do not have arresting and investigating powers.
Today we met representatives of 148 institutions including RDCs, State universities, commissions and parastatals.”
Speaking at the same event RDCs executives described corruption as a cancer and welcomed the anticorruption commission’s move to intervene using the integrity policies.
Matobo RDC chief executive officer (CEO), Mr Elvis Sibanda said: “Corruption is like a cancer in an organisation. Local authorities are mandated to provide service delivery to communities in their areas of jurisdiction, in the event that there is corruption service delivery is definitely affected and people are shortchanged on the value of their money.”
He said the setting up of the integrity committees was like Zacc decentralising to local authorities and they will play a critical role in curbing corruption.
RDCs chairpersons said the initiative was long overdue as councils had lost millions of dollars through illicit deals.
Mangwe Rural District Council chairperson, Councillor Sindisiwe Nleya said in most RDCs development was being slowed down by corruption, hence, the integrity committees will play a critical role.
“The integrity committees will play a pivotal role in plugging loopholes that have seen RDCs losing most of their resources over the years when they try solve corruption cases.”
Zacc is an independent commission created to combat corruption and crime. It is mandated to lead the fight against corruption through the investigation of complaints of such incidents reported to it.
Online Reporter