Byo councillors sign anti-corruption pledge after earlier resistance

Councillors in Bulawayo have signed an integrity pledge aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in local governance.

The councillors appended their signatures to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission Integrity Pledge during a ceremony held on Wednesday in the council chamber at City Hall.

The move comes after earlier resistance from some councillors in Bulawayo and Gwanda, who had raised concerns about committing to the document without fully understanding its contents.

During earlier engagements involving officials from Bulawayo City Council, Gwanda Municipality and Plumtree Town Council, some councillors said they needed more time to read and consult on the pledge before signing it.

At the time, senior management at Bulawayo City Council and councillors from Plumtree had already signed the pledge, leaving Bulawayo councillors among those yet to do so.

Speaking during Wednesday’s signing ceremony, Director of Local Government in Bulawayo, Tswagai Marovatsanga, said the pledge was a commitment by city leaders to uphold ethical leadership and accountability.

“This integrity pledge is a promise that the stewards of this city will operate with integrity, transparency, accountability and ethical fortitude,” she said.

Ms Marovatsanga said the pledge was rooted in the country’s constitutional principles, noting that public officials are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional ethics and remain accountable to citizens.

She added that local authorities have an important role in promoting good governance as Zimbabwe moves towards implementing its next national development plan.

“Without integrity, development goals remain a vision on paper,” she said.

Ms Marovatsanga also said transparent governance at local authority level was key to achieving Zimbabwe’s broader development targets, including the ambition of attaining an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

She said councillors who signed the pledge were demonstrating their commitment to responsible leadership and improved service delivery for residents of Bulawayo.

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