Zacc embarks on anti-corruption crusade

ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) deputy chairperson, Commissioner Kuziva Murapa, has called on citizens to complement Government’s effort in the fight against corruption.

Speaking at an engagement meeting and training workshop for journalists in Bulawayo on Tuesday, Comm Murapa said it was essential to instil integrity and transparency at the grassroots level to combat the scourge effectively.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to fight corruption in the country as it is critical to instil integrity and transparency at the grassroots level. I remember growing up in Sakubva and later Hatfield, we would have milk delivered to our homes,” he said.

“In the event that there would be nobody at home, the milkman would leave the milk on the doorstep. The first one to arrive home would find the milk still there with the seal intact because there was still a lot of honesty.”

He urged parents to inculcate a culture of honesty in their children, saying it creates a foundation for a corrupt-free Zimbabwe.“Parents should teach their children to uphold honesty and integrity. We don’t want our values to be eroded by promoting corruption. Children learn by observing; let them observe and copy our intolerance for corruption.”

The Government is implementing plans to integrate anti-corruption education into the primary and secondary school curricula to discourage corruption from a young age. Zacc, in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, has started nationwide consultations to introduce a curriculum on corruption, ethics and integrity in schools and universities starting from early childhood learning.

In countries where such learning has been introduced, primary school learners engage in interactive activities and are exposed to stories designed to cultivate an understanding of honesty, fairness and responsible citizenship.

As learners progress to secondary school, they delve deeper into the complex realities of corruption, analysing its causes, consequences and potential solutions through discussion, critical thinking exercises and real-world case studies.

Comm Murapa said Zacc will also partner with religious groups and work with the private sector to raise anti-corruption awareness.

“I suggest that as journalists and Zacc we play our role of educating people about the different forms of corruption and how to prevent them. Perhaps it’s too late for the older generation, but let us add it to the curriculum at the primary level so that the next generation grows up shunning corruption,” he said.

Zacc is on a crusade to rid the country of corruption and several senior Government officials and company executives have been arrested for corruption.