Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission recovered suspected tainted assets worth more than US$9,4 million and achieved a 58 percent conviction rate in the courts as it intensified the fight against graft in line with the Second Republic’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
Details are contained in ZACC’s 2025 Annual Report, which was launched in Harare yesterday.
The launch was attended by ZACC commissioners, commissioners from other Chapter 12 institutions, Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Senior Legal Officer Mr Lloyd Kabara, representing Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Omphile Marupi, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice Mr Eddison Zvobgo(Jnr), civil society organisations, religious leaders and members of the ZACC Secretariat.
The Commission arrested 364 people and secured 96 convictions during the period under review, with Harare accounting for 72 percent of all corruption reports received.
Detailing operational figures, ZACC Executive Secretary Advocate Shepherd Manhivi said the agency received 797 reports of corruption during the year ended December 31, 2025.
Of those cases, 624 (78 percent) were allocated for formal investigation, while 37 were assigned to the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Unit for parallel financial tracing.
“The Commission completed investigations into 386 cases and referred 314 dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), achieving 99,6 percent of our annual target,” said Adv Manhivi.
A total of 364 suspects, comprising 276 men, 77 women and 11 corporate entities, were arrested. Courts finalised 172 dockets during the year, resulting in 96 convictions.
Depriving criminals of illicit gains remained central to ZACC’s operations.
“The Commission prioritised the recovery of proceeds of corruption,” said Adv Manhivi. “A total of 32 case files were referred to the NPA for confiscation and unexplained wealth orders, involving 99 motor vehicles valued at US$5,68 million and 38 immovable properties valued at US$3,79 million.”
On the prevention front, ZACC conducted six systems reviews and 19 compliance checks across local authorities and schools, recording an average institutional compliance rate of 65,5 percent.
“The Commission trained 51 Integrity Committees, and more than 10 641 integrity pledges were signed across the country,” said Adv Manhivi.
Public outreach programmes reached more than 60 000 learners, 4 000 rural community members and 3 500 urban residents.
Public awareness of ZACC now stands at 52 percent, with 80 percent of respondents indicating an understanding of what constitutes corruption.
In the foreword to the report, ZACC chairperson Mr Michael Reza said the Commission became fully constituted in April 2025 following the appointment of eight commissioners by President Mnangagwa.
“The appointment of the commissioners resulted in the establishment of nine functional board committees,” said Mr Reza, noting that the new structures provided focused governance and oversight across key operational areas.
“In 2025, the Commission focused on strengthening the policy framework that guides its operations. The board approved the Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, Communications Policy, Branding Policy and Information, Communication and Technology Policy, while also reviewing the Human Resources Policy and Procedures Manual to align it with the Constitution, the Labour Act and contemporary best practices,” he said.
At national policy level, ZACC coordinated the formulation of the Second National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS II), supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Following nationwide consultations across all eight provinces and the two metropolitan provinces, the draft strategy has been submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
“Once adopted, NACS II will guide our collective efforts up to 2030, aligning fully with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and our national vision of a prosperous Zimbabwe by 2030,” said Mr Reza.
However, he said that despite the Commission arresting hundreds of suspects and recovering assets worth millions of dollars, it continued to face challenges, including low staff morale and limited public awareness.
He revealed that employee satisfaction stood at 38 percent during the year under review, while citizen awareness of ZACC was 52 percent.
“We note that the employee satisfaction level stood at 38 percent during the year under review and undertake to address the concerns raised,” said Mr Reza.
He added that despite limited resources, the Secretariat had managed to execute its mandate through extensive systems reviews and compliance checks at local authorities and schools, training of 51 Integrity Committees and securing more than 10 600 integrity pledges.
Delivering a statement on behalf of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Mr Kabara stressed the need for thorough investigations to eliminate the perception of “catch and release”.
“The presentation of up-to-date and positive financial statements is an important indicator of institutional discipline and the Minister expects you to maintain such a standard, as this significantly inspires public confidence,” said Mr Kabara.
“The Minister expects the fight against corruption not only to be measured by reports received and arrests made, but also by the quality of investigations.
Investigations must be thorough and of the highest standard, corruption prevention must remain a priority and asset recovery must be strengthened. Working in silos can be the number one enemy of the anti-corruption drive.
“Witnesses are there to see cases through trial. They need to be protected, and Government remains committed to ensuring that adequate resources are available for witness protection.”
Financially, ZACC managed ZWG178,9 million in 2025, primarily funded through Government grant allocations for salaries, operational costs and capital expenditure. The agency also received non-cash support from partners including POTRAZ, TelOne, Inter-Africa, ZINWA, ZTA and Caleb Mucheche Law Chambers.
During the period under review, ZACC fully migrated its accounting systems to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) framework and upgraded its operational fleet with 14 vehicles, a 36-seater bus, a mobile roadshow truck and updated ICT equipment.
