ZACC operations under threat

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission’s viability is threatened by inadequate funding and staff shortage, a parliamentary committee has said.

ZACC has 141 vacancies and was allocated $3, 3 million in the 2018 budget against a bid of $17, 4 million.

Presenting the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services report, committee chairperson, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said ZACC needs to be capacitated.

“We recommend that ZACC should be allocated adequate funds so that it fills all the 141 vacancies so that effective structures and systems are set up and operationalised as soon as possible. Sub offices in Midlands, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Manicaland will be set up, manned and operationalised.

The Commission’s budget should be increased up to the amount that was asked for. This means that Treasury should allocate ZACC its required $17,4 million to cater for all its operational costs for 2018,” said Rtd Col Dube.

He said ZACC has a very important mandate of combating corruption, theft and abuse of power through investigations, public awareness programmes as well as initiating prosecution of offenders after thorough investigations.

“It achieved a lot in 2017 with limited financial support from Treasury and is set to achieve more targets set for 2018, hence it requires adequate funding. This allocation disregarded the Commission’s huge but achievable expenditure targets earmarked for 2018 which are critical in the whole country,” said Rtd Col Dube.

He said ZACC was allocated $3,51 million in this year’s budget.

“This allocation is 0,07 percent of the total National Budget and is far below the international best practices of allocating at least 5 percent of the National Budget to the Anti-Corruption agencies to cater for recurrent and capital expenditures.

“Allocation for employment costs should be urgently reviewed upwards so that ZACC staff is paid in line with salaries and other conditions of service of other Anti-Corruption Commissions in the SADC region,” said Rtd Col Dube.

“The Commission is able to attract, retain and effectively utilise specialist staff skills with ideal qualifications to investigate corruption cases that are complex in nature.”