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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Crisis Report - Issue 221
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
September 17, 2013
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Democratisation
and fight against corruption intertwined, says civil society
Civil Society
actors who attended a public meeting organized by the Transparency
International Zimbabwe (TIZ) at the Ambassador Hotel in Harare
on Thursday, September 12, said the fight against corruption was
inseparable from the fight for democracy and better economic management.
Timothy Chiganze,
a TIZ board member, said Zimbabwe was currently ranked the 7th most
corrupt country in the world. He pointed out that emerging trends
showed that it was mostly countries which are known for undemocratic
governance and weak institutions that were also known for high levels
of corruption.
“The least
democratic countries are the most corrupt,” Chiganze said.
“The most democratic countries are the least corrupt.”
The public discussion
went under the topic, “No Impunity: Corruption is a crime”.
Discussants emphasized the need to link the fight against corruption
to the struggle for democratisation in the country, saying the struggles
were interdependent.
They said because
of the impunity, which happens in undemocratic societies like Zimbabwe,
it would be impossible to ensure accountability and reduce corruption
without democratic and institutional reforms.
Dr. Ibbo Mandaza,
the Director of Southern
African Political Economy Series (Sapes) Trust, said corruption
thrived in a context of prevalent and abject poverty.
“As long
as the economy does not improve there is always going to be corruption,”
he said. Mandaza said it was important for those institutions and
individuals who are fighting against corruption to research and
investigate public reports on corruption in order to “convert
rumor into fact” and “put figures to it”.
Dr. David Mupamhadze,
an economist said the scourge of corruption had taken its toll on
the ordinary people who become impoverished when government officials
enrich themselves through corrupt activities.
Mupamhadze talked
about the issue of the alleged unwillingness by the Ministry of
Mines and Mining Development and Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation
(ZMDC) to remit to Treasury revenue
from diamonds during the tenure of the Inclusive
Government.
“During
the last four years of the budgets of the (former) Minister of Finance
Tendai Biti, I think it had become the norm that from diamonds ‘I
am getting virtually nothing’,” Mupamhadze said. “But
on the ground we can see that there is activity happening (at the
mines).”
“We are
a case study of living in poverty amid abundance because of corruption,”
Mupamhadze said. “There is need for accountability at the
top level.”
Mapamhadze said
it was important for government officials to declare their assets
before assuming office and when they leave office to avoid them
getting rich over night through unscrupulous ways.
“Let them
account how they got their wealth along the way,” he said,
adding that there is need for political will to tackle the challenge.
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