ED says no sacred cows in graft fight

Cape Town(New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission(Zacc) will investigate and arrest anyone accused of corruption, regardless of their relationship with the Head of State.

President Mnangagwa, who is here for the African chapter of the 28th World Economic Forum (WEF), said this while speaking at a dinner held in his honor by the Zimbabwe Diaspora Business forum.

Zacc, which was recently reconstituted and granted powers to arrest, has already set the ball rolling by arresting a sitting cabinet minister, Priscah Mupfumira, who has since been relieved of her duties.

He said Zacc would investigate everybody for corruption.

“Corruption is a vice that we must permanently weed out and permanently fight until our society is free of that cancer. We are determined to continue to fight all forms of corruption at every level.

“The reconfigured Zacc and other institutions that help in the fight against corruption must be seen in this light. Every individual must be accountable for their actions. To this, there is no going back,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said while it was not easy investigating colleagues, it would be done.

“It is difficult sometimes because some of the colleagues are schoolmates and friends but my country comes first,” he said.

ZACC is a Chapter 13 (of the Constitution)institution that has eight major functions which revolve around combating corruption as well as encouraging transparency, honesty and financial discipline in both the public and private sectors.

The commission said it was targeting a 99 percent conviction rate for corruption cases in the courts, a vice fingered as one of the main cause of economic challenges Zimbabwe is battling with.

Zimbabwe has for years ranked poorly on the corruption index, coming out at number 160 out of 180 at the last count, and President Mnangagwa said the rating will improve on back of the new anti-graft measures.

New Ziana