ZACC under seige

The main problem that we have seen over the years is that there are certain politicians and individuals who think that ZACC is their pawn and should work to further their expectations and in accordance with their whims. This, of course, tends to fatally compromise not only the independence of the body, but its effectiveness as well.

There is no doubt that ZACC is now under siege because it dared to try and open a can of worms by seeking to investigate three cabinet ministers—Saviour Kasukuwere, Obert Mpofu and Nicholas Goche—who are all influential figures on the Zanu (PF) side of the Government of National Unity.

In addition, ZACC certainly stirred a hornet’s nest by attempting to search the premises of the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board which are suspected of high level corruption.

We are aware of recent developments in which ZACC has been turned from an investigator to the one investigated, with one of its heads appearing in court on fraud charges. We condemn corruption in the strongest terms and urge the relevant authorities to leave no stone unturned in order to establish the veracity of these allegations.

However, it is disturbing that ZACC is being investigated just after it attempted to expose high-level corruption. Curiously, those that have instigated the investigations ignored alleged corruption at the commission for years, springing into action just because the body is now flexing its muscles against high-level persons and institutions.

This is happening against a background of Zimbabwe being ranked amongst the most corrupt nations in Africa. What is definite is that these powerful people are not comfortable with mechanisms that probe their ills and would rather have ZACC destroyed.

In that regard, we reiterate our call for the anti-corruption unit to be given pure independence. It must be well-resourced and its commissioners should be non-partisan, objective and free of fear. The President, who appoints the commissioners, must urgently step in to ensure that the body runs in a professional manner and is free from coercion and intimidation. There is also need to equip it with greater powers, so that its mandate is effectively carried out.

There is no point in creating a commission for window-dressing purposes. Those that are corrupt should face the full wrath of the law. Zimbabweans are sick and tired of anti-graft talk that is not matched by action.