Anti-corruption campaign lacks finance

The Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Obert Gutu, revealed that the anti-corruption campaign was supposed to have started earlier this month but failed to kick off as his Ministry was incapacitated.

He said the campaign was aimed at ensuring active public participation in the fight against corruption, which he said was embedded in the judicial sector.

“We are running two weeks behind but with the consultations that we are currently engaging in, we are confident that we will be able to kick start the process,” said Gutu.

Gutu is the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Committee in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs.

“Basically, what we are trying to do is to reach out to the public through the print and electronic media and educate them on issues pertaining to corruption within the justice delivery system.”

He added that his Ministry had engaged a local advertising firm to assist in publicizing the campaign “which should be able to reach out to as many people as possible”.

Gutu said most people, unaware of procedures in the judicial sector, continued to fall prey to corrupt officials.

“We want to educate people so that they help us to identify, curb and eliminate corruption cases within the justice delivery system. Most people are not aware of procedures that ought to be followed and sometimes they engage in corrupt activities unknowingly,” said Gutu.

He said his Ministry was working closely with the government and other funding partners to ensure that financial resources are availed for the anti-corruption campaign.

“We have made tremendous progress in engaging funding partners and as soon as the funds are made available we will be rolling out the campaign. We had a workshop last year and we already have a strategic plan for the process,” said Gutu.

He was unable to specify the exact amount needed for the process but was confident that it would go ahead.

Officially opening the 2013 legal year at the Harare High Court this month, Chief Justice, Godfrey Chidyausiku expressed concern over the high number of corruption cases in the country’s justice delivery system.

He said there was need for a concerted effort to fight corruption.