Seek expert advice on graft probe, ZACC told
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) should not seek glory when investigating alleged graft, and should draw valuable lessons from more experienced bodies such as the police, Comptroller and Auditor-General’s Office and the judiciary on how to handle such matters, a senior Government official has said.
Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba yesterday said while no one questioned ZACC’s mandate, the anti-graft body should stop behaving as if it was the only organisation tasked with fighting corruption.
“No one is questioning ZACC’s investigations but they should not act as if they are inventing the wheel. They are not the only ones investigating corruption because we have more experienced bodies like the police, judiciary and the Comptroller and Auditor-General who have been at the core of investigating corruption.
“They shouldn’t create an impression that they are the sole fighter of corruption. By saying that the commission wants a corruption-free country by such and such a year — it’s just childish. No one is challenging their duties, but their methodology is of concern because they are rushing to publicise investigations. We will read it as a publicity stunt; they are glory seekers.”
ZACC has come under fire for impugning Government systems and circumventing ministries in investigations of alleged corruption in parastatals and local authorities. This was after some anti-corruption officials carried out raids on public offices.
There is concern that the anti-corruption officials were pushed by certain politicians to cause chaos in Government.
The timing of the probe has also been questioned as the leading ZACC investigating officer Mr Servious Kufandada has a tainted past as he stands accused of working with opposition political parties ahead of the 2013 elections.
ZACC obtained search and seizure warrants on permanent secretaries Ambassador Grace Mutandiro (Lands and Resettlement), Mr Munesu Munodawafa (Transport and Infrastructure Development), Engineer George Mlilo (Local Government, Public Works and National Housing), Mr Willard Manungo (Finance and Economic Development), Mrs Evelyn Ndlovu (Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development) and Dr Sam Kundishora (ICT and Courier Services), and chief executives of several parastatals.
Some of the permanent secretaries have asked why ZACC cited them as accused persons yet the organisation wanted documents in connection with parastatals under their purview. ZACC deputy chairperson Ms Nanette Silukhuni told journalists last week that, “First, ZAC acknowledges that search warrants were issued to ministries, parastatals and local authorities. In this case, going and guided by the principles of protocol, the issued warrants were either addressed to the permanent secretaries or CEOs of parastatals/local authorities since they are the heads of the concerned departments. However, the issuance of these search warrants does not mean the addressee is a perpetrator of the alleged act of corruption.”