By Dumisani Dlodlo
ZANU PF acting Spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa has warned that corruption was becoming one of the biggest threats to the realisation of an Upper Middle Income Economy by 2030, urging citizens to partner Government in exposing the vice.
Chinamasa also underscored that President Mnangagwa was committed to the eradication of corruption as enunciated in the ruling party’s 2018 electoral manifesto.
He made the remarks during the party’s routine week press brief held at the party headquarters this Tuesday.
“ZANU PF in 2018 earmarked the fight against corruption as one of its key deliverables and to achieve that, President Mnangagwa declared a zero tolerance to corruption towards building a corruption free society.
“This was as a result of the realisation that corruption was becoming one of the biggest threat to the realisation of an Upper Middle Income Economy by 2030.
“As ZANU PF, we have welcomed the willingness and enthusiasm in our society and various stakeholders including members of the media to partner government by way of exposing corruption when and where it exists. We have accepted that.”
Chinamasa said the ruling party viewed the media as a key ally in the Government’s commitment to fight corruption.
“As we do so, we wish to inform members of the media that they are a key ally in fighting corruption, but in doing so, we encourage them to be objective, frank, and clear of being weaponised to peddle falsehoods to smear politicians,” he said.
He added: “Corruption is a societal challenge which appear ubiquitous in business, civil society, government, local councils, churches, communities and among individuals.
“It has no membership to a political organisation be it ZANU PF, MDCs, or otherwise. That the best way to fighting corruption is by way of investigative journalism to establish facts and evidence rather than fiction. Corruption does not benefit anyone in the society.”
Chinamasa also said in the case of Zimbabwe corruption and sanctions were inseparable twins.
“There is a relationship between sanctions and corruption, whereupon due to incapacity of government or the private sector to provide competitive salaries in the region, workers end up engaging in acts of corruption to supplement what they get which is however unfortunate. “The illegal sanctions have affected our economy and continuously affect the value of our currency and consequently our returns. Again, due to sanctions our institutions mandated to fight corruption have been incapacitated to investigate swiftly both local and external cases,” he said.
He reiterated that the removal of sanctions was key to the eradication of corruption in Zimbabwe.
“It is for this reason that we implore and remind Comrades in the media of their patriotic duty report on corruption and call upon the removal of sanctions, the twin evils which are haunting our society,” he said.
