Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
THE fight against corruption cannot be won by individual countries acting alone, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Mr Michael Reza has said, as Zimbabwe hosts the inaugural SADC Anti-Corruption Expo and Games in Victoria Falls.
About 800 delegates from eight SADC countries are expected to converge in the resort city for the event, which combines sporting activities with the sharing of experiences and strategies aimed at strengthening the regional fight against corruption.
Vice-President Col (Rtd) Kembo Mohadi is expected to be the guest of honour.
Mr Reza said Zimbabwe was ready to host the regional gathering, with delegates already arriving and preparations at the sporting venues complete.
“State of preparedness, we are ready. Our delegates have started arriving, our courts are ready. Everything else that needs to be in place is in place,” he said.
He said the decision to take the anti-corruption campaign to a regional level was informed by the cross-border nature of corruption, which requires countries to work together.
“The fight against corruption is not a one-country fight. We have to take it regionally, and this is what we are doing,” said Mr Reza.
He said the event would provide an opportunity for SADC countries to share experiences and demonstrate their commitment to combating corruption.
“We want to share experiences, we want to share notes, we want to show SADC that we as Zimbabwe are also serious about the fight against corruption,” he said.
Mr Reza said corruption in one country could have consequences beyond its borders, making regional cooperation critical.
“Because when a corrupt activity takes place in one country, it does not end there. It goes to other countries as well,” he said.
He said the participating countries were sending a collective message that those involved in corrupt activities could not rely on borders to evade accountability.
“So together we are uniting and sending a message that for criminals there is nowhere to hide. In SADC we are very much against corruption,” said Mr Reza.
He said Zimbabwe remained committed to the Government’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s position.
“In the words of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Comrade Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, there is zero tolerance to corruption in Zimbabwe,” he said.
The SADC Anti-Corruption Expo and Games will also use sport to bring together participants from the region, with soccer, volleyball and netball lined up for the inaugural edition.
Mr Reza said the three sporting disciplines had been selected for the Victoria Falls event, with the possibility of adding more as the games expand.
“We are getting people from eight SADC countries who will be competing in soccer, volleyball and netball. These are the disciplines which we thought we would start with,” he said.
“But as the games grow bigger, we might add other sports. But for the time being and for the Victoria Falls games, it’s those three disciplines which we will be taking part in.”
The event is expected to provide a platform for anti-corruption bodies and other stakeholders in the region to strengthen cooperation while promoting public awareness around the fight against corruption.
