Public officials top corruption cases

ALMOST half of cases reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) in 2023 involved public officials with the watchdog indicating that there was a significant increase in corruption reports during the period, NewsDay has established.

According to Zacc, 559 reports were filed against public officials representing 56% of the 999 corruption cases reported.

Speaking on a radio talkshow on ZiFM Stereo during the week, Zacc spokesperson Thandiwe Mlobane said the complaints were filed against public officials from different arms of the government.

“We have 559 reports against public officials, that is 56% of the total. Cases against public officials are broken down as follows; 109 local authorities, 336 officials from public entities and parastatals, 84 public officials at government ministry level, 38 elected officials, chiefs headmen and village heads,” she said.

So rampant is the scourge that more than 100 government officials were made to sign integrity pledges to reaffirm their commitment to fight corruption last month.

In a statement last month, Public Service Commission secretary Tsitsi Choruma said chief directors and directors had been chosen to lead the fight against corruption from the front.

“The anti-corruption strategy committee mooted the idea of the integrity pledge to foreground the eradication of corruption in all sectors of the economy.

“We were mindful of the critical need to rid the Public Service of all forms of malfeasance since its members are at the forefront of delivering services to citizens and, therefore, exposed to the vice,” she said.

Corruption perpetrated by public officials has also affected war veterans.

In a scathing central committee report released after the Zanu PF national conference last year, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association bemoaned the poor welfare of its members.

“Some war veterans who had benefited were dispossessed of their land through dubious means by corrupt government officials.

“The affected comrades must be given back their land which they fought for and be allowed to utilise the land to contribute to the economic development of the nation,”