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ZISCO saga-our right to know the truth
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
November 09, 2006

THE suppression of information pertaining to the plunder and looting of Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) should cease in the interests of our ailing economy and for the sake of transparency, accountability and the commitment to stamp out corruption from the public service sector.

The looting at ZISCO Steel smacks of government’s hypocrisy on anti-corruption and the notions of comradeship, imperialism and people first.

The hype that this fictitious, half-hearted and piecemeal crusade by government dismisses the value of the notion of comradeship, when the very "comrades" amass ill gotten wealth at the cost of the entire nation.

The current anti-corruption overtures are a mere smokescreen, political gimmick, and a marketing bait that is meant to hoodwink the electorate and give an impression that the ZANU-PF government is purging those that are corrupt and is committed to rid society of the vice of corruption.

Abuse of public office by high-ranking government officials through bribery, chicanery, and nepotism and kickback point to a Shadow State that Zimbabwe has become. The characterization of Zimbabwe as a Shadow State follows eminent political scholar, William Reno’s thesis that in most parts of post-colonial Africa, including Zimbabwe, government power is used as a tool for self-enrichment and control of economic markets and resources by government elites.

Transparency, equity, accountability and integrity are values that are at the core of the notion of good democratic governance. Since the attainment of independence in 1980, corruption in the public sector has had far-reaching consequences, triggering the economic woes currently being experienced in the country. Such scandals, among many, include the Willowgate Scandal of 1988, the NOCZIM scandal (1996), the War Victims Compensation Fund (1999) , the Land scandal (Bhuka report of 2003) and the ZUPCO and Agricultural Fuel scandals of 2005. Those that have looted the national coffers must face the full wrath of the law despite their political standing.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition emphasizes that the government needs to uphold the Integrity Pledge and popularize the Leadership Code if it is serious about arresting corruption.

As part of our duty as responsible citizens, and to avert the further collapse of our economy including the intensification of poverty, we demand that the following be urgently effected

• Those linked to the looting of public entities must be investigated and prosecuted despite their political standing.
• Institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission and Parliament execute their duties without undue influence
• That government commits itself to promoting a National Integrity Pledge that requires all public officials to declare their economic worth upon assumption of national duty.

Visit the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition fact sheet

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