By Meditation Mposi
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has noted rampant corruption in government departments, especially in procurement.
This came out during a Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) engagement meeting held in collaboration with TellZim News in Masvingo town on April 8.
Speaking at the event, ZACC Masvingo Investigations Officer, Langton Shayanewako said the commission had noted that cases of corruption were more prevalent in government departments especially in the procurement departments.
“Cases of corruption are common in government departments especially in procurement, mining claims and land distribution,” said Shayanowako.
He went on to say they were however facing challenges in politicization of cases as well as public perception on the commission.
“We have recorded several successes and we can say we manage to solve about 70 percent of cases that we deal with. In 2024 alone we recovered a total of 202 vehicles that were illegally brought in the country through abuse of the civil servant rebate system
“Some of the people managed to pay duty and got their vehicles, however some are still in courts,” said Shayanewako.
He however said despite recording such successes, the commission faced several challenges including politicization of cases as well as public perception.
“We have challenges like politicization of cases, public perception where people don’t trust us as a commission as well as victimization of whistle blowers and witnesses who end up reluctant to give evidence,” said Shayanowako.
He went on to say people were indicating that ZACC was failing to convict people or delay processes but the delay would have been from the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) whom they work with.
NPA representative at the engagement meeting Tarisai Muvengi said they failed to prosecute or secure convictions in several corruption cases because of lack of evidence.
He said corruption being a sophisticated crime, it was mainly done by people in higher offices and it was difficult to get evidence since in most cases it would have been destroyed.
“The reason why in most cases we fail to prosecute or secure convictions in most corruption case is lack of evidence, the crime is mainly done by people in higher offices and the time investigators try to get evidence, it would have already destroyed.
He also said another challenge was hostility from witnesses who decline to stand in court despite having reported the matter themselves.
“Another challenge we fail to prosecute is hostility from witnesses. They mend their relations during the course of investigations with the perpetrator and the time you invite them to witness, they refuse,” Muvengi said.
