STAFF WRITER
ZIMBABWE loses about US$1,8 billion annually due to corruption, anti-corruption authorities have said.
Speaking during the opening day of the national workshop on Whistle blower Protection in Harare on Monday, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo said corruption is impeding Zimbabwe’s economic growth, and undermining democratic principles, stability and trust.
Whistle blowers remain an important aspect to combatting corruption, she said.
“Zimbabwe loses about US$1,8bn annually due to corruption, bleeding the economy of revenue meant to promote sustainable socio-economic development and the betterment of the livelihoods of all Zimbabweans,” Matanda-Moyo said.
“…Without a Whistle blower Protection framework, people are reluctant to expose corruption and speak out against perpetrators,” she added.
ZACC has been laying bare the extent of corruption in the country probing allegations of corruption in public and private spaces.
Several high profile arrests have been made while asset recovery of proceeds of corruption has been accelerated.
ZACC refers all completed investigations for the prosecution to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Once ZACC has investigated the matters and referred them to the NPA for prosecution – that is the end of ZACC functions.
For the year 2020 the Commission referred 90 cases to the NPA.
On Monday, the anti-corruption body re-emphasised whistleblowing as one of the mechanisms used to deter corruption.
Whistle-blowing is a term used when a person passes on information concerning corrupt practices such as fraud, bribery and abuse of power.
Anti-corruption players encouraged government to provide a framework that encourage reporting of corruption cases.
A key challenge in preventing and fighting corruption is to detect and expose bribery, fraud, theft of public resources and other wrongdoing with on of the most effective way to shine the light on corruption being whistleblowing.
Retaliation to whistle blowers may include suspension, dismissal, coercion, intimidation, harassment or even physical violence.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the SADC Protocol Against Corruption, which all speak towards a corrupt-free world characterised by values of good governance, respect for human rights, justice, the rule of law, and countering illicit financial flows and counter-financing of terrorism.
