The Government of Zimbabwe has warned councillors and senior management of local authorities across Zimbabwe to desist from corrupt activities forthwith when it comes to investigations and criminal cases indicating that such activities will hinder the attainment of Vision 2030 Agenda.
This came out after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had noted with great concern that several councillors and senior management of local authorities across Zimbabwe have appeared before the Courts of Law for corruption and council land mismanagement crimes.
In a statement, it was revealed that all of them have since successfully applied for bail and the Ministry, therefore, stated categorically that all councillors and senior management who interfere with ongoing investigations shall meet the full wrath of the law.
The Ministry further noted a growing trend across local authorities that councillors are passing resolutions and making structural changes that would ultimately influence ongoing investigations in favour of those facing criminal charges.
“We would like to underscore that attainment of Vision 2030 requires well-administered local authorities whose focus is on excellence in service delivery. This cannot be attained unless local authorities adopt high standards of governance with zero tolerance for corruption. This is more so considering that local authorities’ revenues are public funds derived from ratepayers as well as from central government.
“Government, therefore, is duty-bound to ensure that these resources are professionally administered in the public interest, while it continues to assist local authorities with funding and technical resources to improve service delivery,” the statement reads.
The Ministry further appealed to all local authorities to exercise good corporate governance and ethical conduct by not reinstating individuals who are in the midst of on-going investigations and criminal cases.
Whilst the Court’s conditions of bail do not restrict them from going back to work and resuming their normal duties, the conditions indicate that there should not be interference with witnesses, intimidation thereof or subsequent suspension of any witness or potential witnesses, and going back to work and resuming normal duties infringes upon these bail conditions.
“The Government of Zimbabwe, under the guidance and leadership of His Excellency, the President Cde. E.D. Mnangagwa has made it part of our Vision 2030 to rid the country of corruption and local authorities shall not be spared. In fact, being public entities, greater compliance is expected of them.”
