MUTARE – The Minister of State for Manicaland Province Nokuthula Matsikenyere has said corruption levels in Zimbabwe now need some divine intervention, as the country continues to score negatively on corruption indices.
Speaking as the guest of honour at the Transparency International Zimbabwe Manicaland region anti-corruption Indaba held at a local hotel last Friday, Matsikenyere noted that the country continues to score negatively on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
“In 2020 Zimbabwe was ranked number 157 out of 180 countries assessed with a low CPI score of 24 which is below the continent’s average of 32. This low CPI score is indicative of high level of perceived corruption in the public sector,” she said.
“Those results from the index show that we are doing bad as a country. Actually the corruption levels now need divine intervention. We now pray to God to help in eradicating corruption,” said Matsikenyere.
Matsikenyere said her office was inundated by corruption complaints from the public.
“I have been receiving complaints of corruption from disgruntled people who were saying they were not accessing public services. One example is that l received a complaint from a person who he was told to pay US$600 a passport. We all know that An emergency passport in Zimbabwe costs US$300, so the other US$300 was for corrupt deals. I
wrote a letter to the head of the passport offices in Mutare and the issue was rectified. We do not want that to continue happening,” she said.
“Let us note that corruption hinders development. In Zimbabwe public resources are diverted to the pockets of corrupt individuals from needed investments in transport, energy, health and education causing the government and local authorities failing to effectively provide enough service delivery to the general citizens,” Matsikenyere said.
The minister said corruption remained endemic and systematic in Zimbabwe posing a threat to the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra as well as attainment of the Upper Middle-Income Economy (UMIE) by 2030.
The TIZ Mutare Research and Advocacy Officer Sam Matikiti said corruption harmed the poor.
“Corruption especially harms the poor. They are the ones most in need of the public goods and services but they cannot obtain services just because they cannot pay a bribe,” he said.
“Reducing corruption and improving governance in public service delivery are important for growth and development of our beloved Zimbabwe,” Matikiti said.
Matikiti said while all the actions and intentions supported by existing institutional and legal frameworks are commendable, there is great need to adopt a holistic and coordinated approach in the fight against corruption.
